January
16
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MOONLIGHT (15)
MOONLIGHT (15)
Run time:1hr51m
Director: Barry Jenkins
Cast: Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Monáe, Ashton Sanders, Jharrel Jerome, Naomie Harris and Mahershala Ali.
Synopsis: A timeless story of human self-discovery and connection, Moonlight chronicles the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood as he struggles to find his place in the world while growing up in a rough neighbourhood.
Written and directed by Barry Jenkins [Medicine for Melancholy (2008), My Josephine (2003)] and based on the play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney, this film is a tender, heart-breaking story of a young man’s struggle to deal with his dysfunctional home life, coming of age in Miami during the “War on Drugs” era.
Each chapter sees the main character played by a different actor: Alex R Hibbert as ‘Little’ – a neglected child living with his single, crack addict mother Paula in a crime ridden neighbourhood in Miami. What little life guidance he receives is from Juan, a drug dealer (Mahershala Ali) and food and affection from his girlfriend, Teresa (Janelle Monáe)
Ashton Sanders is ‘Chiron’ harassed and bullied as a teenager at school and Trevante Rhodes is ‘Black’ his new persona 10 years later when he lives now in Atlanta and is pushing drugs.
The story of his struggle to find himself as told across these three defining chapters in his life as he experiences the ecstasy, pain, and beauty of falling in love while grappling with his own sexuality.
Moonlight grips from the very first frame with its human and universal story and honest and truthful portrayal of the struggles many black men face growing up in marginalised areas of their community.
A mesmerising and utterly compelling, complex coming of age drama.
Images courtesy of Altitude
