Chiron is a young African American who has a difficult time growing up. He gets bullied for being gay. Chiron has been trying to figure himself out ever since he was young. He also had to find a way to deal with his way of life with all of the struggles he's going through.
This film has an interesting three act system. The first act deals with Chiron as a young boy (Alex R. Hibbert). The second act deals with Chiron in high school (Ashton Sanders). And the third act deals with him as an adult (Trevante Rhodes). It seemed like the best way to tell this story. I will say 'Moonlight' is comparable to 'Boyhood'. The only difference is that 'Boyhood' is more like slideshow of a kid growing up than a movie. The sad part is Richard Linklater, director of 'Boyhood', took twelve years to film it. 'Moonlight' director Barry Jenkins did a better job in four months.
For a second outing, I would say Barry Jenkins did a remarkable job with this film. He got all of his actors to give great performances. Not one actor did a bad job. There are quite a few actors that made their on screen debut with "Moonlight'. One of those actors was Trevante Rhodes. He did a tremendous job portraying Chiron. Trevante perfectly captured the essence of a character who acts tough on the outside, but frail in the inside. I'm expecting him to have a wonderful career. Another standout was Mahershala Ali as Juan. Juan was the father figure for Chiron. While his mother was busy being a drug addict, Juan was there to care for Chiron. After watching Luke Cage, I didn't think I could see Mahershala as a father figure, but I was wrong. Coppermouth would make a good father. Try wrapping that around your head.
I honestly didn't think I was watching a movie. Barry Jenkins did a great job with the script in order to make 'Moonlight' feel real. Nothing felt out of place or fake. Also, the editing was perfect. It had a nice and consistent pace throughout the entire run time.
'Moonlight' looks beautiful. I love the use of color. Evidently, Barry Jenkins and cinematographer James Laxton wanted to create a dreamlike feel with the film. That's exactly what it felt like. Miami has never looked more beautiful. James did a great job of using color to help convey the story that Barry was trying to tell.
If you haven't heard about this film, you will when the Oscar's Awards night is close. 'Moonlight' will be nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography. Mark my words. 'Moonlight' is by far one of the best films of the year. It's also the most important film of the year. 'Moonlight' conveys a struggle many people are dealing with today. You will be doing yourself a favor by watching 'Moonlight'.
