This is going to be tough. How do you criticize a flawless film?
Just so you know, this review is going to be mostly opinion. There's nothing I can say that's objective about this film that hasn't already been said, so this is mostly my personal feelings on Moonlight, and various thing I loved/didn't love about it.
Everything in this film is good, nothing every veers below that. The tone is dark, but hopeful. The cinematography is beautiful, the script is realistic, the music is subtle yet effective.
However, I can't help while leaving the theater, that this film was partially made for the glory. It's an arthouse film, set in the hoods of Florida, about an African-American man growing up realizing who he is. Basically, it checkmarks everything that was missing in last year's Oscars, or, the movie that will definitely win Best Picture.
I'm aware of how almost cynical that statement is, given the inspiring messages of the film, but I couldn't help but feel this way. It felt like a film that was a response to #OscarsSoWhite, and arose from complaints of lack of diversity. It feels this way, but I understand the pure intention was more genuine. Those complaints do hold weight. How many times it the history of cinema have we seen characters like this? Compared to other films, how many would actually tell this story like this? This film does have something to say, other than being a "black" film in an industry that wants to be better, but continues to falter.
The film could've been yet another narrative of black vs white. Racism vs character. Jim Crow sadness. Yet, if anything, it's a film that criticized it's own community, saying 'we have too much homophobia'. And having some of our potentially good father/mother figures in our life, being consumed by the negative aspects of the community, like drug dealing and addiction. Which is, what our main character Chi-ron aka Black goes through in this story. The school bullies beat the living shit out of Chi-ron, for basically being different. The weird thing is, they don't even necessarily know he's a gay man, they just call him 'f****t', which is telling that, why don't care who it's hurts, they just know it's a word that hurts you. What they don't know, it hurts a little deeper for Chi-ron, and the person who does the beating (but I'll leave it at that. Don't want to spoil a damn thing. It's almost Shakespearean how this story is told.). Even those little kids were calling him grotesque names no kid should know, but we all grew up saying them. This was apart of the film I absolutely adored, it took a risk to show a side, it showed what it's like to be different in this environment. I got a sort of personal connection here, mostly the name-calling and beatdowns. I kind of grew up in places like that, and I understand the tension and depression of being in a place where you have to stay on your toes, then you morph into someone you're not. That's the transformation Chi-ron takes, except something traumatic happens that's so awful, he fled to a new place with a new name.
Love is a very important part of this film. It holds together the broken. Every story presents a case for love, whether, it be false, momentary, or lost. While the second one works for the story, there's something especially poignant about the first story. You never truly find out what happens to Mahershala Ali's character. You and him are just left with what he did to Chi-ron's mother. Just the fact he tries to take care of him shows his guilt, he treats him like a son. Then Chi-ron confronts him, and he does not lie. It took a toll on Chi-ron, now he's afraid to open up, he has trust issues, he feels everyone's out to hurt him, except Kevin. He's always been there as a positive reinforcement. Except when he wasn't, due to school and social pressures. It's a hard thing to beat as a young kid. They pit friends against each other, loyalty is tested. And when Chi-ron has absolutely no one to turn to, he snaps. And it doesn't take until years later, when Kevin calls again. Then he remembers the Beach. With all the pain he went through, he looks back at that as one of the most pure moments of love in his life. A love lost. And in the end, love found.
This film is more than "Oscar bait" than even I previously thought. It's a grounded, deep, genuine statement on love, and my personal favorite film of 2016.
10/10
Just so you know, this review is going to be mostly opinion. There's nothing I can say that's objective about this film that hasn't already been said, so this is mostly my personal feelings on Moonlight, and various thing I loved/didn't love about it.
Everything in this film is good, nothing every veers below that. The tone is dark, but hopeful. The cinematography is beautiful, the script is realistic, the music is subtle yet effective.
However, I can't help while leaving the theater, that this film was partially made for the glory. It's an arthouse film, set in the hoods of Florida, about an African-American man growing up realizing who he is. Basically, it checkmarks everything that was missing in last year's Oscars, or, the movie that will definitely win Best Picture.
I'm aware of how almost cynical that statement is, given the inspiring messages of the film, but I couldn't help but feel this way. It felt like a film that was a response to #OscarsSoWhite, and arose from complaints of lack of diversity. It feels this way, but I understand the pure intention was more genuine. Those complaints do hold weight. How many times it the history of cinema have we seen characters like this? Compared to other films, how many would actually tell this story like this? This film does have something to say, other than being a "black" film in an industry that wants to be better, but continues to falter.
The film could've been yet another narrative of black vs white. Racism vs character. Jim Crow sadness. Yet, if anything, it's a film that criticized it's own community, saying 'we have too much homophobia'. And having some of our potentially good father/mother figures in our life, being consumed by the negative aspects of the community, like drug dealing and addiction. Which is, what our main character Chi-ron aka Black goes through in this story. The school bullies beat the living shit out of Chi-ron, for basically being different. The weird thing is, they don't even necessarily know he's a gay man, they just call him 'f****t', which is telling that, why don't care who it's hurts, they just know it's a word that hurts you. What they don't know, it hurts a little deeper for Chi-ron, and the person who does the beating (but I'll leave it at that. Don't want to spoil a damn thing. It's almost Shakespearean how this story is told.). Even those little kids were calling him grotesque names no kid should know, but we all grew up saying them. This was apart of the film I absolutely adored, it took a risk to show a side, it showed what it's like to be different in this environment. I got a sort of personal connection here, mostly the name-calling and beatdowns. I kind of grew up in places like that, and I understand the tension and depression of being in a place where you have to stay on your toes, then you morph into someone you're not. That's the transformation Chi-ron takes, except something traumatic happens that's so awful, he fled to a new place with a new name.
Love is a very important part of this film. It holds together the broken. Every story presents a case for love, whether, it be false, momentary, or lost. While the second one works for the story, there's something especially poignant about the first story. You never truly find out what happens to Mahershala Ali's character. You and him are just left with what he did to Chi-ron's mother. Just the fact he tries to take care of him shows his guilt, he treats him like a son. Then Chi-ron confronts him, and he does not lie. It took a toll on Chi-ron, now he's afraid to open up, he has trust issues, he feels everyone's out to hurt him, except Kevin. He's always been there as a positive reinforcement. Except when he wasn't, due to school and social pressures. It's a hard thing to beat as a young kid. They pit friends against each other, loyalty is tested. And when Chi-ron has absolutely no one to turn to, he snaps. And it doesn't take until years later, when Kevin calls again. Then he remembers the Beach. With all the pain he went through, he looks back at that as one of the most pure moments of love in his life. A love lost. And in the end, love found.
This film is more than "Oscar bait" than even I previously thought. It's a grounded, deep, genuine statement on love, and my personal favorite film of 2016.
10/10
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