With Sean Baker's keen eye for examining America's underbelly, Red Rocket puts its focus on the marginalised and sex work. Following Mikey Saber (Simon Rex), as he returns to his hometown of Texas City, Texas. Mikey, a former porn star, with a canny ability to land on his feet, convinces his estranged wife and mother in-law to let him stay with them. Not long after returning he catches the eye of a seventeen year old Donut shop worker called Strawberry (Suzanna Son), who he thinks he can mould into porn's new it-girl and be his ticket back into the higher echelons of the porn world.