Moonlight shines its melancholy light on a life in three acts.

Beautifully structured and elegantly restrained, Barry Jenkins’ deceptively simple three act coming of age drama “Moonlight” packs a powerful emotional punch as we follow Chiron, a disaffected young black man growing up and struggling with his identity and sexuality in suburban Miami.

Throughout each of the acts, assaying a different period of Chiron’s life, we’re treated to the raw cruelty of a life blighted by drugs and gang violence counterpointed poignantly with unexpected moments of tenderness such as the entirely unexpected kindness of Juan (Mahershala Ali), a drug dealer who finds young Chiron (Alex Hibbert) hiding from a gang of school bullies in an abandoned apartment. We see the gross injustice of a life spent fleeing the animalistic pack hunting of his bullying classmates turns to his own punishment for finally marshalling the courage to strike back.

Heart-breaking and affecting, this is artful and personal filmmaking, a dignified exploration of masculinity, society and sexuality. Simultaneously dreamy and earthy, the cinematography and use of light, both natural and harsh neon hues, lend the film a distinctive palette, helping to define and connect the three stages of Chiron’s life.

While Mahershala Ali may have taken all the plaudits (and the Best Supporting Actor Oscar) for his first act turn as drug dealer turned mentor Juan, it’s Naomie Harris who impressed for me, her performance nothing short of transformative. The three actors who bring Chiron to life (Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes) are fantastic, each bringing their own interpretation and yet recognisably the same person, still the damaged young man despite having grown hard and focussed, sculpted in his physique and adorned with gleaming gold grills.

“Moonlight” is a timely and vital film, a meditation on the brutality and tenderness of life. It may not be the most entertaining or easy watching of the Best Picture nominees, but it’s easy to see why it’s worthy of being crowned the best.

moonlight review
Score 8/10


Hi there! If you enjoyed this post, why not sign up to get new posts sent straight to your inbox?

Sign up to receive a weekly digest of The Craggus' latest posts.

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

2 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
logo

Related posts

Salem’s Lot (2024) Review

Salem's Lot (2024) Review

It's once bitten, thrice shy for this third attempt to adapt King's vampire masterpiece. Much has been made in the rarified atmosphere of consumer electronics of Artificial Intelligence’s ability to wade through large amounts of text on your behalf. Rejoice, rejoice, for TL;DR is now a...

Justin And The Knights Of Valour (2013) Review

Justin And The Knights Of Valour (2013) Review

Justin And The Knights Of Valour Review “Justin And The Knights Of Valour” surprised me. I was expecting a dreary, underdeveloped euro-animation in the turgid tradition of “Freddie As F.R.O.7.” or “Sammy’s Great Escape” but it’s not. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing here that will...

The Comey Rule (2020) Review

The Comey Rule (2020) Review

The only thing that was necessary for the triumph of evil was for a good man to do the 'right' thing. “The Comey Rule”, based on the memoirs of the ex-head of the FBI, James Comey, splits very clearly into two eras: BE, Before the Election – and AE. Detailing the events and...

Tarzan (2014) Review

Tarzan (2014) Review

It’s a swing and a miss for the King of the Jungle. This new motion-capture animated take on the Tarzan legend comes courtesy of German animation studio Ambient Entertainment GmbH. Set in an Uncanny Valley somewhere in Africa, it tells an updated version of the story of a young boy...

Star Wars (1977) Review

Star Wars (1977) Review

Rediscovering Star Wars *SPOILERS* Rediscovering? Yeah, right. An old geek like me had forgotten “Star Wars”. Of course not, I still remember the giddy, obsessive adoration “Star Wars” produced. I remember buying a copy of The Sun on the way to school in late 1982 because it had...

Promising Young Woman (2021) Review

Promising Young Woman (2021) Review

Promising Young Woman delivers on its promise - and then some. A grounded and consequential revenge thriller, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN lures you in with its apparent vulnerability but it’s hiding an emotional sucker punch that’s likely to take your breath away. Cassie (Carey Mulligan), a...

The Movie Bunker Podcast: Superman III

The Movie Bunker Podcast: Superman III

The Movie Bunker Podcast: Superman III This week, I was a guest on The Movie Bunker Podcast's Episode 42 - talking about how life, the universe and everything is better for having "Superman III" in it. The Movie Bunker Podcast is a podcast dedicated to reviewing the most...

Kick-Ass 2 (2013) Review

Kick-Ass 2 (2013) Review

All hail the Motherf***er! Something of a surprise hit when it was released, “Kick-Ass” was a ballsy, funny, violently subversive take on the superhero genre which was beginning to (and still does) dominate Hollywood’s output. The film’s unexpected mix of both celebrating and...