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“Can you tell me who you are, man?” Even though issues of identity have long been a source of fascination in dramatic film, they have rarely been explored with the level of eloquence and heartbreaking beauty found in Barry Jenkins’ masterful “Moonlight,” one of the most important American films of the year 2016. It is breathtaking to watch “Moonlight” as it manages to be at the same time lyrical and deeply grounded in its character work, which is a difficult balance to achieve. It is one of those rare pieces of filmmaking that manages to remain completely focused on its characters while also feeling like it is dealing with universal themes such as identity, sexuality, family, and, most importantly, masculinity, without losing sight of its characters. Despite this, it never becomes preachy or moralizing. It is a film in which deep and complex themes are expressed first and foremost through the character of the main character. Jenkins’ film exudes confidence in every aspect of the way that a critic can use the word. Jenkins’ film is a triumph in every way. This is one of those rare films that doesn’t make a single mistake in terms of performance, shot selection, music, or setting, and it culminates in a scene that isn’t filled with CGI or twists but is filled with dialogue and is one of the best single scenes I’ve seen on the big screen in a long time.
Even in the way he is presented, the protagonist of “Moonlight” exemplifies the conflicted and fluid masculinity of young African-American men in the United States. The film is divided into three chapters, which are named “Little,” “Chiron,” and “Black,” after the three names that are used to refer to the same person who we follow from childhood through adolescence and into adulthood. As a boy, he grows into a man, struggling to find his place in the world, which is also articulated by the character being played three times by three different, all-remarkable actors.
The film begins with Chiron as a young boy, who is referred to as “Little” by his bullies (Alex R. Hibbert). We come across this youngster who is running and attempting to hide in a boarded-up apartment from the other kids who are threatening to beat him up. Juan (Mahershala Ali, in one of his best performances), a local drug dealer, discovers little in the area. Eventually, Juan takes the child out to eat with him, and even brings him back to his house, where he meets his partner Teresa (Janelle Monáe). This improvised family could only be of limited use. Juan’s father has passed away, and his mother Paula (Naomie Harris) happens to be one of Juan’s most valued customers. Juan takes on the role of a father figure, but this may make the relationship appear more predictable than it actually is. As a provider of the product that is causing Chiron’s family to suffer, Juan recognizes something positive in him and wishes to assist this shy young man.
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The film then shifts to Chiron as a teenager, when he is dealing with more intense bullying as well as questions about his sexual orientation. A young man like Chiron (now played by Ashton Sanders) is struggling to find himself during these years, especially now that all semblance of a normal home life has been removed from his existence. He literally has nothing, and it is only through the kindness of his friend Kevin (Jharrel Jerome at this age) that he is able to find comfort. However, even that is turned on its head in a time, place, and age when compassion is sorely lacking, when young men believe that violence is the only way to make themselves feel better or to fit in, and when compassion is sorely lacking.
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At long last, we get to meet Chiron as a young adult, who is played with exceptional subtlety by Trevante Rhodes. In the film, Kevin (now played by André Holland, formerly of “The Knick”) reaches out to a very-different Chiron, and the themes of the film coalesce in a surprising amount of emotional resonance despite the absence of monologues or heavy-handed melodrama. It could be said that the film “Moonlight” is about a boy who is often overlooked by society, that little kid who is not cool enough to hang out with the big kids and who does not have the support of his family to keep him from simply disappearing into the night.
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A perfect balance is achieved by Jenkins in the three performances that make up Chiron, which come from Hibbert, Sanders, and Rhodes. They do not feel like imitations of one another, but rather like expressions of growth. The sad eyes of Chiron as a boy can be seen reflected in the eyes of Chiron as a man. Even with three actors portraying the same character, “Moonlight” could have easily been categorized as episodic, but the film’s remarkable consistency in this regard is remarkable as well. Jenkins’ collaboration with his ensemble creates a sense of continuity from chapter to chapter, despite the fact that the cast changes on a regular basis. Likewise, Jenkins draws out excellent performances from Harris and Ali, who play two of the most influential people in Chiron’s life.
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Jenkins and his technical team capture Miami in a way that we don’t see very often, making excellent use of their surroundings, particularly the way that the water and the beach surrounding it can feel like a respite from the stresses of everyday life. However, “Moonlight” is a film about people’s faces. Chiron’s eyes convey so much information that this young man has not been taught how to communicate. A young man of color who is also black and gay who is poor and lonely, he is the type of person who feels like he could literally vanish from the face of the earth because he is so unseen by the rest of society. After having cried so much in his life, Chiron expresses his desire to turn into liquid and roll into the ocean in one of many memorable dialogue exchanges (penned by Jenkins and adapted from a play by Tarell McCraney), which is one of the film’s many memorable dialogue exchanges.
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While there is some memorable dialogue in “Moonlight,” it is what is left unsaid that has the most impact. When a child inquires as to why other children refer to him in a derogatory manner, the look of a morally conflicted father figure is revealed. It’s a nervous glance between two young men who are aware that something is a little off about their relationship, but who are unable to express their feelings because society has given them no words to do so. As a result, “Moonlight” is at its most powerful in the final scenes, when Jenkins is confident in the work he’s done, trusts his actors, and allows the emotions of what remains unsaid to provide the film’s dramatic momentum. Jenkins fully grasps the fact that it is human connection that shapes us, that alters our trajectory, and that determines who we are as individuals.
For more personality quizzes check this: The Zookeepers Wife Quiz.
