Moonlight, directed by Barry Jenkins, is the story of an African American man named Chiron told in three parts. The three sections are called Little, Chiron and Black. These labels refer to the name that Chiron is known by during the section. Moonlight is a incredible feat of storytelling and structure. Its a rare film that presents many questions without ever attempting to answer those questions in a simplistic way. Moonlight uses a specific story to explore universal themes such as identity and how people are formed by experience.
The first section of Moonlight introduces the character of Chiron as a young child living in Miami. When Chiron is chased by bullies, he hides in an abandoned building and is found by a drug dealer named Juan who becomes a father figure for Chiron. In this section we see the beginning stages of Chiron’s development as a person. We see a budding relationship with another child named Kevin and abuse by Chiron’s mother. The second section of Moonlight is Chiron’s teenage years. Chiron is constantly harrassed by other kids in school and his mother’s addiction has only gotten worse. Chiron has his first sexual experience with Kevin on a beach but later Kevin is pressured into assaulting Chiron by a bully named Terrel. When Chiron retaliates against his bully, he is arrested.
The third section of Moonlight shows Chiron several years after being arrested. He works as a drug dealer in Atalanta and he goes by the nickname “black”. Chiron visits his mother and forgives her for the roughness of his childhood. Chiron also visits Kevin who now works at a a restaurant in Miami. Chrion reveals that Kevin is the only man to ever touch him which prompts another sexual encounter between the two men. The film ends with an image of young Chiron looking back towards the camera on the beach.
The story of Moonlight could easily occur in reality as it is incredibly personal. The film tends to focus on moments that are mundane but these moments are filled with meaning. You could easily watch Moonlight and think that most scenes are pointless but the truth is that every single detail is important. Moonlight is the kind of movie that you can’t help but think about for days after you watch it.
Moonlight is easily one of the most important movies of the year. It’s a film that shows the facts of a human life without making any assumptions or drawing any conclusions about what those facts mean. It teaches you that the world is an unfair place and often people have no control over their futures. Watch Moonlight to become see a compelling story and become a better human being.
Buy Moonlight here:
Film, Overanalyzed 
This film was exceptional. Raw. Painful. Real. Filled with darkness and light…I felt a kind of awe to have such an intimate view inside the isolation and bleakness of the unfolding boyhood and coming of age of Chiron. The cast of actors was superb. Naomie Harris, so real and authentic in the devolution/ evolution of her character. This was hard to watch and important to watch … there was a tenderness that revealed itself …touching me even more deeply than if the story had hit me over the head with “ordinary” violence. I’m glad this film was made; this story was told…especially now…
LikeLike
I enjoyed reading your review and share many of your conclusions. But it is already in danger of being over-hyped. How can the film make us a better person? For me, this film is a tapestry of lyrical moments and finely wrought detail on a journey for self-identity. Films like this do not come up often. Its not an original narrative in the least, but its artistry is in the filming and directing; its a film you savour for its pieces rather than whole.
LikeLike