Moonlight (2016)

Release date: 2016-11-18
Country: USA
Language: English
Director: Barry Jenkins
Production Co: A24, PASTEL, Plan B Entertainment
Genre: Drama
Rating: 7.4/10
Length: 1h 51min

Storyline

Three time periods - young adolescence, mid-teen and young adult - in the life of black-American Chiron is presented. When a child, Chiron lives with his single, crack addict mother Paula in a crime ridden neighborhood in Miami. Chiron is a shy, withdrawn child largely due to his small size and being neglected by his mother, who is more concerned about getting her fixes and satisfying her carnal needs than taking care of him. Because of these issues, Chiron is bullied, the slurs hurled at him which he doesn't understand beyond knowing that they are meant to be hurtful. Besides his same aged Cuban-American friend Kevin, Chiron is given what little guidance he has in life from a neighborhood drug dealer named Juan, who can see that he is neglected, and Juan's caring girlfriend Teresa, whose home acts as a sanctuary away from the bullies and away from Paula's abuse. With this childhood as a foundation, Chiron may have a predetermined path in life, one that will only be magnified in terms...

Plot Keywords

gay lead character, african american, bullying, gay character, homosexuality, gay protagonist, homophobia, coming of age, first gay sexual experience, mother son relationship, reunion, forgiveness, based on play, crack cocaine, arrest, drug addict, beach, lgbt, lgbt cinema, gay slur

Short Review

Jenkins boils a life down to its decisive moments; a life in three parts is an eloquent and acute summation with Nicholas Britell's heart-rending music underlining.