Review- Moonlight

Moonlight is an utterly beautiful film. There's not much questioning that and if you haven't seen it already, please stop reading, go out and watch it. I'm not going to include any spoilers in my review, I just think you should take the time to experience it yourself before reading what other people have to say about it. The story that Moonlight weaves is one that is intensely personal in a way no other film at this years Oscars is. It is focused around the life of a boy named Chiron who lives in Florida as he gradually grows to accept who he is and what his place in the world is and is told in three separate acts, each time with Chiron played by a different actor. We see him as a young boy, quiet and being tossed around on the waves of life, a teenager who is starting to understand himself but unsure what to do with that information and as a young man trying to fight what he knows he is. Think of it as a cross between Boyhood and the Brian Wilson biopic Love and Mercy, only a version that combines those two styles into a story that is cripplingly touching.

Obviously, it's an Oscar film so talking about the acting is a must. I'll start with the nominated actors from the field, although I'll say it now, that doesn't mean they deserve the most attention. Naomie Harris plays the mother of Chiron, a crack addict with an inability to put her son before her next fix. It's a performance that is heartbreaking but in all the right ways. We may never like her but that's the point. Mahershalla Ali plays Juan, a father figure to Chiron, despite being the dealer supplying Chiron's mum. You can already tell that this is a conflicted role but damn if Ali doesn't bring all that swagger from House of Cards out, to make us love him despite every part of us slowly screaming to hate him. They may be the headline performances but the best three are the three actors who play Chiron. Alex Hibbert plays Chiron in the first third and for such a young actor displays incredibly versatility. Equally, he is able to show the subtler moments astoundingly well in a performance that many adults would be hard pressed to beat. Trevante Rhodes is Chiron in the final third of the film and has to carry all the baggage from the last eighty minutes but does so with ease. He is an imposing figure but underneath, we still see the little boy we've been following and the fluidity between the two is a sight to behold. My pick for standout though goes to Ashton Sanders who plays Chiron in the middle of the film. This is where we have some of the most emotionally raw moments and he plays those incredibly but its the in between moments that he does so well. Sanders has this mastery over his body language and just the way he holds himself speaks volumes about the character. He is also blessed with probably the most tender moment and most emotionally demanding moment of the film which doesn't hurt at all.

I have a paragraph left and no idea where to start, there is so much left in this film to praise. The score, while only coming in to enhance occasional moments, enhances them spectacularly. There is a use of jagged sounding strings in the way that Psycho used them to scare but here, they don't scare, they enchant. Licensed music is used too and that is just as wonderful. Cinematography is yet another highlight, even if I wasn't originally so on board with that. In the opening act of the film, the camera can feel like it's spinning, unfocused, out of control. That effect lessens as the film continues but even so, that effect is actually a perfect metaphor for Chiron's life. As the camera becomes more focused though, we have some absolutely stunning shots. Highlights include a swimming scene that's closer to a baptism, a scene of frustration from Naomie Harris and a moonlit scene on a beach. In regards to that last point, I am also incredibly impressed by how this film handles all of the issues it encompasses. It has this very subtle touch to most of it, a touch that many mainstream audiences won't pick up on, but that's fine. This isn't a film for those who want to have everything explained to them, this is a film for people who want to work for their character development. Even looking back at the film now,  I can see many scenes set up and filmed in a way to parallel scenes from later on in the film, with slightly different meanings each time.

I have nothing but praise for Moonlight. It lacks that personal resonance that sends it into my personal stratosphere of beloved movies but that is the only thing this movie lacks. The performances are knockout, the story everything Boyhood thought it was and the themes are handled so delicately that you will tear up on many an occasion. My only regret is that I want to go see this film again and I don't have the time this film deserves from me, but I will certainly be picking up this film on blu-ray on release in a few months time. I only wish I could give this film more but still, consider it a strong contender in the Oscars on Sunday, the reason I give it an easy