Moonlight - Review

As we approach the climax of the film, our central character is questioned, "Who is you Chiron?". This question gets to the heart of what Barry Jenkins' Moonlight is above all about: an exploration of the development of a gay black man's identity. The film is divided into three acts, each chronicling a different stage of Chiron's life with considerable delicacy. The first a study of young Chiron - nicknamed "little" - a wide-eyed introvert weary of the world around him; the second, a brooding gangly adolescent trying to make sense of his feelings; the third, a confused man full of subdued longing.

During the three acts of the film, Chiron is played by three separate actors, Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, and Trevante Rhodes. Despite this, the actors produce three portrayals of Chiron that can be easily viewed as one whole due to the consistency of body language and mannerisms. All three performances share a bowed head and searching eyes that emphasise a meditative shyness, however, importantly, each depiction manages to mirror his changing identity as Chiron grows. 

In the first act, a lot of camera movement is used, lending an intimacy to the portrayal of the characters. One sequence depicts Chiron and some other boys playing football in the park - the camera weaves this way and that - replicating the energy of the boys and imbuing the everyday scene with understated beauty. In other moments, Chiron's feelings of isolation and loneliness are expressed when he is depicted in wide angle, lost in seas of cold colours, dwarfed by the perceived magnitude of his surroundings. 

The combination of James Laxton's versatile cinematography and an enigmatic score from Nicholas Britell come together to give the film a distinctly cinematic edge, creating a vibrancy that transcends the (at times) gloomy subject matter. When we transition from one act to another this is particularly notable as dreamlike sequences depict arguments between Chiron and his mother. An unerringly still camera captures the two in hypnotic slow motion bathed in dramatic lighting (almost reminiscent of giallo), as Britell's animated strings flourish this way and that, creating an atmosphere of great importance.

Throughout the film we see stereotypes of life for black people subverted in surprising and interesting ways. Jenkins captures the complexity of the lives of the characters with care, avoiding cliché at all times. This is perhaps displayed most acutely by the portrayal of drug dealer Juan (Mahershala Ali). In one scene, we see Juan - an archetype of black masculinity - explaining the meaning of faggot to Chiron, condemning its use in a display of unashamedly liberal acceptance. Another particularly touching scene, shows Juan  teaching a young vulnerable Chiron how to swim. Juan is portrayed in a gentle light as a caring paternal side of his character is highlighted in a manner not often used with characters such as his.


Above all, this film deals with what it means to be not only black but also gay in America, exploring how identity and sexuality can be reconciled with black masculinity. The alienating effects of this are studied in excruciating detail as we see the progression and perhaps regression of Chiron, a man who ultimately tries to obscure a profound fragility with harsh machismo, almost paralysed by a hidden identity. In spite of this, Moonlight is irrepressible; a tender, subtle portrait of one man's life that shimmers with an effervescent energy.