Tangerine
Tangerine Review: Story, Cast, Rating & Final Verdict
Last updated: April 10, 2026
Movie Overview: Tangerine
| Movie | Tangerine |
| Release Year | 2015 |
| Director | Sean Baker |
| Genre | Comedy / Drama |
| Runtime | 87 minutes |
| Language | EN |
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is Tangerine (2015) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a HIT with a verified audience rating of 6.9/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Comedy.
Cast & Character Study
The performances in Tangerine are led by Kitana Kiki Rodriguez . The supporting cast, including Mya Taylor and Karren Karagulian , provides the necessary layers to the central narrative.
movieMx Verdict: Is it Worth Your Time?
What Works in the Movie
Tangerine stands out as a strong entry in the Comedy genre. The film benefits from engaging storytelling, memorable performances, and solid production values that help keep viewers invested.
- Compelling performances from the main cast
- Strong visual storytelling and direction
- Well-structured Comedy narrative
- Satisfying emotional or dramatic payoff
What Doesn't Work
Despite its strengths, Tangerine has a few issues that may affect the overall viewing experience, particularly in terms of pacing and narrative consistency.
- Uneven pacing in certain parts of the film
- Some predictable plot developments
- May not appeal to audiences outside the Comedy fanbase
Story & Plot Summary: Tangerine
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 2015, Tangerine is a Comedy, Drama film directed by Sean Baker. The narrative brings laughter through sharp writing and comedic timing, providing amusement while touching on deeper societal themes. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Kitana Kiki Rodriguez.
Story Breakdown
The comedic structure relies on both situational humor and character-based comedy. It's Christmas Eve in Tinseltown and Sin-Dee is back on the block. Upon hearing that her pimp boyfriend hasn't been faithful during the 28 days she was locked up, the working girl and her best friend, Alexandra, embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor. Their rip-roaring odyssey leads them through various subcultures of Los Angeles, including an Armenian family dealing with their own repercussions of infidelity. The production finds humor in relatable situations while maintaining narrative momentum. The jokes serve the story, with callbacks that reward attentive viewers.
Narrative Structure
- Opening Hook: The opening establishes the comedic tone and introduces the central conflict through humor and character quirks.
- Character Arc: The main character shows growth throughout the story, though some supporting characters could have been more fully realized. Kitana Kiki Rodriguez's arc is present but occasionally predictable.
- Climax & Resolution: The comedic climax ties together recurring jokes and character arcs, delivering both laughs and emotional satisfaction.
Ending Explained: Tangerine
Tangerine Ending Explained: Directed by Sean Baker, Tangerine wraps up the main storyline while leaving some interpretation to viewers. The ending highlights the core comedy themes developed throughout the film.
The emotional resolution focuses on the transformation of its main characters, particularly in scenes involving Kitana Kiki Rodriguez. The interpretation of the ending may vary among viewers.
Key Elements of the Ending
- Narrative Resolution: The story resolves its primary conflict while leaving room for interpretation.
- Character Development: Character motivations become clearer by the final scenes.
- Thematic Message: The ending reinforces the comedy themes introduced earlier in the film.
The final moments of Tangerine reflect the creative choices of the filmmakers and align with the tone of the narrative.
Who Should Watch Tangerine?
Worth Watching If You:
- Enjoy Comedy films and don't mind familiar tropes
- Are a fan of Kitana Kiki Rodriguez or the director
- Want some laughs and light entertainment
Box Office Collection: Tangerine
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $100.0K |
| Worldwide Gross | $925.0K |
| Trade Verdict | CLEAN HIT |
Tangerine Budget
The estimated production budget for Tangerine is $100.0K. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: Tangerine
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Where to Watch Tangerine Online?
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FlixFlingTangerine Parents Guide & Age Rating
2015 AdvisoryWondering about Tangerine age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of Tangerine is 87 minutes (1h 27m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 6.9/10, and global performance metrics, Tangerine is classified as a HIT. It remains an essential part of the 2015 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tangerine worth watching?
Tangerine is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Comedy movies. It has a verified rating of 6.9/10 and stands as a HIT in our box office analysis.
Where can I find Tangerine parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for Tangerine identifies it as R. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of Tangerine?
The total duration of Tangerine is 87 minutes, which is approximately 1h 27m long.
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Critic Reviews for Tangerine
**On the Christmas eve in the LA streets.** Just one day event based theme and brilliantly made film. This film was made using iPhone 5s and this is not some film school project. The quality was really top notch, with great performances by all who involved in. I have never seen such perfectly rendered transgender story. I mean no offense, but it looked so real. Hats off to the director, writer and the actors. Last year, there were some talks about this film's chances at the Oscars, but in the end it did not make. So after that I kind of lost interest in it, but now I had an opportunity to watch and I liked it very much. How a simple story and its simple characters developed were the highlights. You can't predict this stuff, because you won't know what comes after the each twist. Most of the film takes place on the evening time, so that colour of the sky is what the title represents. I don't think anybody would dislike this film. It was slow, but short and sweet. One of the best films from the 2015. You much choose this to watch for its uniqueness in the filmmaking and the storytelling. In addition to that, it also entertains, so there's your reason to go for it. _7/10_
So it was all filmed on my favourite iPhone - the 5S. I had one until only recently when the failing battery finally forced me onto the 12 mini. Aside from that impressive technical feat, though, this really isn't anything special. "Sin-Dee" (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) gets out of jail after a 28 day stint for possession, only to find that the guy she took the fall for - her boyfriend "Chester" (James Ransone) has been fooling around with "Dinah" (Mickey O'Hagan). Livid, she sets off with her best friend "Alexandra" (Mya Taylor) to find this woman and to confront her beau with his treachery. Meantime, cabbie "Razmik" (Karren Karagulian) breaks up that narrative with some quite entertaining vignettes with his passengers. "Mia", a man named after a bird, a couple who have been over-indulging in pre-Christmas booze - and leave him a smelly, unwanted gift - all whilst he cruises for some transvestite action in an alleyway. The stories gradually merge together as it turns out the married Armenian driver has the hots for "Sin-Dee" and it all comes to an head in a donut shop with his wife, child, mother-in-law as well! The handheld photography is intimate, presenting us with a fly on the wall style documentary around half a dozen not especially nice or interesting people going about their lives. It is made largely on the move, there is rarely a let up as the story fluidly moves along - but that story is frankly pretty lame. "Sin-Dee" drags "Dinah" around downtown LA in her bare feet at will; nobody intervenes - even when she drags her onto a bus! The dialogue is weak and angry, the characters selfish and I found that after about half an hour I just couldn't really care less about any of them. Is it supposed to be about friendship? They all appear to be as ready to betray each other as to get up in the morning. Sean Baker does create a film here that is intense, but there is nothing to hook the audience. If this were documentary on transvestite hookers in LA, then it would show nobody in anything like a sympathetic light and adding dialogue to that doesn't change that basic sentiment. As an example of how film-making is going to change profoundly with the advent of small, hand-held, filming technologies this is a great example of a flexible and portable technique. As a story about people, it is pretty miserable.
Filming on consistently overpriced hardware that is a manifest of chokepoint capitalism (term coined by Cory Doctorow) is not enough make great cinema.
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.








