Moonlight
- Director: Barry Jenkins
- Writer: Barry Jenkins; Tarell McCraney
- Producer: Andrew Hevia; Veronica Nickel
CGiii Comment
The time has come to actually write something about this much-lauded, Oscar-nominated film...
Our review sofa was trembling with anticipation, creaking under the weight of so many bum-cheeks squeezed in side-by-side, tighter than podgy pilchards in an undersized sardine can...everyone wanted to see this film.
After the film finished...there was a strange - almost eerie - atmosphere in the room...a distinct feeling of: Was that it?!?
Each and all were...somewhat underwhelmed, drastically deflated and, disappointingly disappointed by what they had just watched. The Gin started to flow and the analysis began...almost instantly the much-bandied word 'masterpiece' was displaced by a more accurate description of Moonlight - 'mediocre' at best, 'monotonous' at worst.
All agreed that the timing of this film could not have been better... what with #blacklivesmatter & #oscarsowhite twittering around the twittersphere...and the constant berating [of Hollywood] at the lack of LGBT representation on the big, silver [mainstream] screen. Moonlight - suspiciously - starts to look like a perfectly manufactured, agenda-laden production...a production that addresses all these issues...and - by consequence - the appeasement of the [Hollywood] de-criers - at least - for the time being.
Not a bad thing per se...that is, if the film turned out to be the masterpiece that so many have claimed it to be. It's not.
All - on the sofa - agreed that the acting - by most - was pretty damn good. All agreed that the director got in the way...
All had a problem with the third act...when puny Chiron metamorphoses into a muscle-bound hunk of a [bad] man. There's no such thing as a good drug dealer!
And, all were deeply moved (and perplexed) by the final revelation...ensuring that Moonlight will be discussed endlessly throughout Awards-season and beyond...that should keep a smile on the executive producer's face...after all, Brad Pitt has had a particularly bad year!
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
Barry Jenkins more than fulfills the promise of his 2008 romantic two-hander Medicine for Melancholy in this three-part narrative spanning the childhood, adolescence, and adulthood of a gay African-American man who survives Miami’s drug-plagued inner city, finding love in unexpected places and the possibility of change within himself. Moonlight offers a powerful sense of place and a wealth of unpredictable characters, featuring a fantastic ensemble cast including André Holland, Trevante Rhodes, Naomie Harris, and Mahershala Ali—delivering performances filled with inner conflict and aching desires that cut straight to the heart.
A24
Founded in 2012, A24 has become known for releasing some of the most well respected independent films of the last four years, including The Spectacular Now, Obvious Child, and Room. In 2016, A24 released Moonlight, a tender coming of age story about Chiron, a young, black, queer man. The film follows Chiron through three acts of his life, from childhood to teen years to adulthood. Over this time, he struggles with his own sexual identity, the concept of masculinity, and his feelings for his friend Kevin, all set against a challenging home life and bullying at school. Moonlight deftly balances telling a very intimate story about love, identity, family, and friendship with painting a picture of the larger experience of what it means to be a young, black, queer male. Moonlight made history as the first film with an LGBTQ lead and the first film with an all-black cast to win the Oscar for Best Picture.
Cast & Characters
Alex R. Hibbert as Little;
André Holland as Kevin;
Ashton Sanders as Chiron;
Don Seward as Tip;
Duan Sanderson as Azu;
Edson Jean as Mr. Pierce;
Fransley Hyppolite as Pizzo;
Herveline Moncion as Samantha;
Jaden Piner as Kevin (9);
Janelle Monáe as Teresa;
Jharrel Jerome as Kevin (16);
Larry Anderson as Antwon;
Mahershala Ali as Juan;
Naomie Harris as Paula;
Patrick Decile as Terrel;
Rudi Goblen as Gee;
Shariff Earp as Terrence;
Stephon Bron as Travis;
Tanisha Cidel as Principal Williams;
Trevante Rhodes as Black