Moonlight

Movie, 2016, R

Premise - This film tells the story of Chiron over three periods of his life - childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. A quiet, somber black boy turns into a quiet, somber black man who struggles with human connection due to his closeted sexuality, abusive mother, and only male role model being a drug dealer. With the traumatic childhood and adolescence we witness, who do we anticipate adult Chiron will become?

Review - This is a record-breaking film. I'm going to list out a few of the most well-known accolades listed on Wikipedia: First film to win the Oscar for Best Picture with an all black cast, first film to win Best Picture as an LGBTQ-related film, first black female to be nominated for an editing Oscar, and first Muslim to win an acting Oscar (Mahershala Ali). It will be in the cinematic history books.

Of course, what I think most people associate this film with is the Oscars debacle in which La La Land was announced the winner for Best Picture, only to realize it was a mistake and Moonlight had actually won (big oops) and I think ruining their moment to really speak to the film. I had only seen La La Land at the time, but I would sure remember Moonlight forever!

Since then, it has remained on my watch list for years without actually getting around to watch it, as what happens to many, MANY films I know I should watch but am too lazy to do so. Though the more I engage with antiracist books, podcasts, and documentaries, the more I was itching for some Black fiction. The film is not overtly political, but because it is a Black, LGBTQ film, it is political by default. I just wanted to enjoy seeming some Black gay fictional characters on screen. I want Black stories, Black characters, and the Black LGBTQ community to be normalized. Give us a range!

What I love about this film is that Chiron is such a compelling, memorable character. Yes, he's one of the few Black protagonists, and definitely one of the ONLY Black gay protagonists ever, but he's not most characterized by either of those things. Being Black and gay, as well as both at the same time, are central to the story and his character. But most central of all is his personality - quiet, soft-spoken, gentle, nonviolent... sad. These powerful personality traits then interact with his blackness and gayness, particularly to mark him as emasculated, and form an even more painful relationship to other human beings.

Chiron, as well as the other central characters, are so compelling on screen for both the way they act and the way they look. Their blackness is used to create a colorful on-screen presence. The use of color in this film is absolutely PHENOMENAL - everything feels desaturated to highlight a few key colors - the most noticeable being blue. There's blue backpacks, blue doors, blue clothes, blue furniture, blue wallpaper... and it looks so stunning on film as a backdrop for their brown skin. I had this thought from the very first scene of the movie, and then that line about black boys looking blue came up and I like literally clutched my chest I was so shook. Blue really does compliment their skin and is visually stunning.

You do have to just suspend disbelief and get over the fact that multiple actors are playing the same character. Chiron was cast fairly well, but Kevin... oh boy. I did NOT realize the kid at the beginning was the same person in the teenage/adult years. I had to go back and check for a name. I also read somewhere that the different actors did not watch each other's performances and drew their own interpretation of the character from the script. The fact that they remained so similar is just a testament to the script then. However, adult Chiron does smile every so often. Teenage and child Chiron never did that. I noticed - it felt odd. I wondered if it was on purpose or not.

Can't say this film had much of any plot. It was all about character and visuals and it's great for that. (90/100)

Quote - "In moonlight, black boys look blue."

What to watch for - I already mentioned the colors, but it really is worth saying again. Point out everything you can that is blue, or perhaps, has to do with water.

If you liked this film, I'd recommend Boyhood!

Directed by Barry Jenkins

Distributed by A24