Review of Moonlight (2016) by Patricia W — 03 Oct 2017

Moonlight is the story of young black child's struggle to find himself in a hard and unaccepting world. This film took me by surprise, it is a brilliantly subtle, realistic and heartfelt depiction of a young man's struggle with his own sexuality and how the world around him effects his identity.

The script and the acting is so realistic that it often feels like you've stepped into someone's else's shoes and are watching a real life happening in front of your eyes rather than a film.

The film is broken into 3 chapters, Little, Chiron and Black and the 3 actors who portray Chiron, Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, Trevante Rhodes are all fantastic, portraying an inner struggle that's just bubbling underneath the surface.

Naomie Harris is also excellent as Paula, Chiron's drug addicted mother, showing a great progression in her character as her addiction gets worse.. The film is also beautifully shot and paced with an excellent soundtrack that elevates the story and gives the whole film a quiet grace.

Although the narrative itself isn't the most original, it is a beautiful film that tells it's story in very emotional and effective way.