Tangerine (2015)

Sean Baker’s Tangerine (2015) is a groundbreaking indie film shot entirely on an iPhone 5s. It’s raw, it’s hilarious, it’s heartbreaking, and it captures the streets of Los Angeles in a way that feels both chaotic and deeply human.

Detailed Summary

Opening: A Christmas Eve in Hollywood

The movie opens in a Donut Time café in Hollywood, where transgender sex worker Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) is reunited with her best friend Alexandra (Mya Taylor) after a short prison sentence. Their conversation kicks off the film’s main plot when Sin-Dee learns her boyfriend/pimp Chester (James Ransone) has been cheating on her—with a cisgender woman.

Sin-Dee’s Wild Hunt

Fueled by rage and heartbreak, Sin-Dee storms through Los Angeles on Christmas Eve in a chaotic, profanity-laced quest to find the “fish” (slang in the film for cis women) her boyfriend slept with. Her journey is equal parts comedy and drama, weaving in and out of seedy motels, street corners, and crackling neon-lit sidewalks.

Alexandra’s Side Story

Meanwhile, Alexandra is more focused on her own dream: performing at a nightclub that evening. She hands out flyers to anyone who will listen, though we see her struggle with rejection and the challenges of being a trans woman trying to carve out a space for herself outside of sex work.

Enter Razmik, the Armenian Taxi Driver

Running parallel to Sin-Dee and Alexandra’s stories is Razmik (Karren Karagulian), an Armenian cab driver who regularly seeks the company of trans sex workers. While he juggles rides with oblivious passengers—including a hilariously awkward Christmas carol-singing family—he longs for the world of Sin-Dee and Alexandra, away from his traditional family life.

The Confrontation at Donut Time

Eventually, Sin-Dee finds Dinah (Mickey O’Hagan), the woman Chester cheated with, and drags her through the streets in a mixture of farce and tragedy. The chaos culminates back at Donut Time, where Alexandra, Razmik, Chester, Sin-Dee, and Dinah all clash. Secrets spill: Chester admits his infidelity but also that he’s been romantically involved with both Sin-Dee and Alexandra at different times. Razmik’s family shows up too, confronting him about his secret life.

Movie Ending

The climax is both loud and messy, but the ending narrows down to a quietly devastating moment. Sin-Dee, humiliated and heartbroken after learning Chester never truly loved her, has a drink thrown in her face by transphobic men on the street. Covered in urine after an additional cruel encounter, she retreats to Donut Time, broken.

Alexandra finds her there. In one of the film’s most powerful moments, Alexandra gently removes her own wig and places it on Sin-Dee’s head, offering comfort and solidarity. The two friends, who’ve been through the worst of the night, walk off together in silence.

The ending is not about romantic redemption or closure with Chester; it’s about resilience, sisterhood, and survival in a world that relentlessly marginalizes them.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Tangerine does not have a post-credits scene. The movie ends with the quiet, intimate moment between Sin-Dee and Alexandra, leaving the audience to sit with its emotional weight.

Type of Movie

Drama, dark comedy, and slice-of-life indie film. Shot in guerrilla style, the movie blends humor and heartbreak, realism and absurdity.

Cast

• Kitana Kiki Rodriguez as Sin-Dee Rella
• Mya Taylor as Alexandra
• Karren Karagulian as Razmik
• James Ransone as Chester
• Mickey O’Hagan as Dinah

Film Music and Composer

The film’s soundtrack is eclectic, mixing hip-hop, EDM, and holiday music. Baker deliberately chose upbeat electronic tracks to give the frenetic energy of Los Angeles street life. There isn’t a traditional orchestral score—the music feels like it belongs to the city itself.

Filming Locations

The film was shot almost entirely on location in Hollywood, Los Angeles, often guerrilla-style without permits. Donut Time, the now-iconic location where much of the action unfolds, was a real 24-hour doughnut shop on Santa Monica Boulevard, serving as a gathering spot for trans women in the area. The choice to film there added authenticity and rooted the story in a real community.

Awards and Nominations

• Sundance Film Festival 2015: Huge critical buzz at its premiere.
• Independent Spirit Awards: Mya Taylor won Best Supporting Female, making history as the first openly transgender actor to win at the Spirits.
• Multiple critics’ groups included it in their Best of 2015 lists.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Shot entirely on three iPhone 5s phones with anamorphic lenses.
• Director Sean Baker used apps like Filmic Pro to control focus and exposure.
• The film was made on a shoestring budget but became a critical sensation.
• Both Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor were discovered at an LGBT center in Los Angeles.
• Much of the dialogue was improvised, adding to the realism.

Inspirations and References

Baker has said he wanted to capture a side of Los Angeles rarely seen in mainstream cinema: the lives of transgender sex workers of color. He was inspired by his conversations with Mya Taylor and Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, who helped shape the story’s authenticity.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

No official alternate endings are known. However, Baker has admitted that the original cut was longer, with extended improvisational scenes trimmed for pacing.

Book Adaptations and Differences

The film is not based on a book. It is an original screenplay developed in collaboration with its stars and members of the local trans community.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• Sin-Dee storming through L.A. with Dinah in tow.
• Alexandra performing at the bar to a tiny, mostly indifferent audience.
• Razmik’s cab ride with the Christmas carol family.
• The explosive showdown at Donut Time.
• Alexandra placing her wig on Sin-Dee’s head.

Iconic Quotes

• Sin-Dee: “You’re not going to mess with my man!”
• Alexandra: “I’m not about drama. I’m about business.”
• Razmik: “I have to go get some Christmas tree… cookies.” (his excuse to escape his family)

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• The choice of Christmas Eve as the setting is symbolic: a night of celebration and togetherness for many, but a night of struggle for those marginalized by society.
• Donut Time wasn’t just a set; it was an actual safe haven for the trans community, immortalized by the film.
• Shooting on iPhones wasn’t just a budget choice—it symbolized accessibility, breaking down barriers to who can make cinema.

Trivia

• Mya Taylor became the first openly transgender performer to win a major film award.
• The crew sometimes had to hide from police while filming guerrilla-style.
• Sean Baker edited the film on Final Cut Pro X, proving professional cinema can be made with consumer-level tech.

Why Watch?

Because Tangerine is more than a movie—it’s a cultural milestone. It’s funny, outrageous, and heartbreaking in equal measure, while breaking ground for trans representation in cinema. If you care about bold storytelling, social issues, or just want a wildly entertaining indie gem, this is unmissable.

Director’s Other Movies (Sean Baker)

• Starlet (2012)
• The Florida Project (2017)
• Red Rocket (2021)
• Take Out (2004)

Recommended Films for Fans

• The Florida Project (2017)
• Paris Is Burning (1990)
• Moonlight (2016)
• Hustlers (2019)
• A Fantastic Woman (2017)