Growing up in the “Moonlight” by the ocean.
Alex Hibbert as Child Chiron , Ashton Sanders as Teen Chiron and Trevante Rhodes as adult Chiron.
MOONLIGHT
Film Review By Marlene Ardoin
Based on the play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue” by Tarell Alvin McCraney, the film, “Moonlight,” is told in three parts about growing up Black, gay and masculine in America.
I don’t think that the masculinity of Black men has ever been examined in quite this way.
The film poses the question that if half the black young men are in prison, who is left to be the male role models for their young, male children? This film answers the question in a very poetic way.
Growing up in a racist society, as young children, we pick up on subtle clues that Black is somehow less than, inferior, not capable, and easily bullied. Being female is viewed in much the same way.
On top of all that, what if you are Black, gay and fatherless. How does a young male, who is discovering his sexual identity, survive, let alone, thrive in such an environment?
Until Barack Obama came onto the scene, the Black success stories were the drug dealers. They had the smarts, the money and the tough, masculine example of success.
Since Chiron did not know Obama, Martin Luther King, Jr., Tiger Woods, or any Black Power members, but he did know a few drug dealers, he ends up modeling himself after the drug dealers.
This film is getting a lot of critical notice, and I think that it deserves to receive it.
Another aspect of this film which stood out for me was the ocean as an environment, which becomes a poetic character in the film. The fresh, ocean air becomes a symbol for freedom, love, vulnerability, romance and caring.
Chiron learns to associate the ocean with pleasure and the freedom to express his sexuality. We discover that Chiron is a romantic, with his own ideas about love. He associates the ocean with love.
This film’s gay youth, Chiron (Alex Hibbert), grows up with his mother, Paula (Naomie Harris), who is sometimes caring, but most of the time, she is escaping or surviving.
Paula is a tragic figure, but she has somehow managed to provide a home for her child, in spite of her meager resources.
She and her son, Chiron, are not homeless, which, under the circumstances, has very little meaning, but it did provide some stability for her fatherless son.
Paula does love her son, which is what saves him. Had Chiron been abused or exploited, this story might have had a very different outcome.
As a child, Chiron is bullied by his peers. And, thanks to the drug dealer example, he learns how to stand up for himself. His tormentors discover that they have a tiger by the tale. Chiron develops a sense of pride, grit and self-worth.
I really loved the ending to this film.
“Moonlight” has Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali, the crack dealer, Best Supporting Actress for mother Paula (Naomie Harris), Best Screenplay and Best Original Score.
1/3/17 # Moonlight