Moonlight Review

 

For Pride Month, here is my review of Moonlight, the first all-black LGBT film to win Best Picture. I enjoyed this film very much, and although it's a sad film, it ends on an uplifting note. The film is about Chiron and his life, from childhood to adolescence and adulthood. The film explores him coming to terms with sexuality as a gay black man. When you see him as a kid, he befriends Juan, played by Mahershala Ali, who serves as a father figure for him in his childhood as he looks up to him. He also told Chiron that being gay wasn't a bad thing and taught him to swim, but sadly, Juan died and lost that father figure he needed in life. The film also has his mother Paula played Naomie Harris, who at first seems like a caring mom, but later she gives in to drugs and becomes a hooker. You don't like his mom and how she is treated, but later, we grow to see how she tries to change her ways. You feel for Chiron, especially when he's bullied at school, and I have to be honest: the scene where he hits the bully with the chair. I think we all have the urge to do that to a bully in high school, but I wouldn't recommend that he gets arrested after doing so. 

The film's cast all did a great job playing their characters, and Mahershala Ali deserved his win at the Oscars. Even if he's only in it for an hour and a half. Everyone did a great job. Naomie Harris was fantastic, Janelle Monae was incredible, and Trevante Rhodes was great, too, as an older Chiron. As well the actors who played him as a teen and kid. 

Moonlight is a great coming-of-age story, and I highly recommend you watch it. The ending of the film is heartwarming because, in the end, Chiron and Kevin get together admit their love for each other. He forgives his mother for turning to a life of drugs and not being the mother Tearsa was to him. She's Juan's girlfriend in the film.

I give Moonlight an 8 out of 10. It's a great coming-of-age story and LGBT Film.

I also can't end this review without making a joke about the Oscars. La La Land thought they won Best Picture, but it was actually Moonlight. Still, the La La Land producers were okay with it and showed considerable respect.

Happy Pride Month!