Review of Moonlight (2016) by David B — 02 Mar 2017

(Overdue post | Congratulations for winning Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Adapted Screenplay).

Moonlight is a triumph, not only for its unique narrative development, rather its realistic qualities from its characters, themes, and environment that all individuals can identify with.

This is a story of a young man's struggle to find himself and is told across three chapters in his life as he discovers the joy and pain of life and love, while grappling with his own sexuality. Three talented actors play the role of our protagonist, Chiron, in different times of his life. The talent of the three actors extend to their overall ability to blend to Chiron, making sure we never doubt that we're watching the same character in different segments of his life. There are some supporting characters that venture along with Chiron in those three chapters, which is life-like, as there are different people in a person's life that come and go. Moonlight seems like a homage to the malevolence and goodwill of the many people in our life that make us who we are.

Though the specifics of Chiron's life and environment as a young black man will be foreign to many, Moonlight addresses universal issues such as bullying, drug abuse, sexual identity, and the journey to adolescence that are identified by individuals across the world.

Overall, Moonlight boasts honest dialogue and dramatization complemented with an emotional score and visual style that is sure to stir you.