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Moonlight: Gentle Story of Identity
Introduction
To hype, Barry Jenkin’s Moonlight is understating a film that is written in such a well thought and sensitive plot. Moonlight is the gentlest of great films that features three distinct chapters featuring three different actors portraying the same character, Chiron (Edelstein 3). The fatherless African-American protagonist Chiron grows up to a lonely adult raised, by his drug addict mother, Paula. Chiron’s middle ages were synonymous with glamour and grief with Juan being friendly. On the other hand, grief comes during a brief sexual encounter with a boy named Kevin on a Florida beach, to which he recalls vividly later in his life (Copeland 692). The film is directed in a way that the first half of the plot is based on that moment while the other half is built away from it. However, criticising ‘Moonlight’ as a gay awakening film or a film that glamours homosexuality is inappropriate; the film is more profound than just gay appeals. The title suggests an idea about the light of the moon; under this light, it is only you who decides what you want to be not the gods but the individual.
As a lonely child, Chiron (nicknamed ‘little’) was susceptible to bullying from other boys at school, but he did not understand why. One day when he was fleeing from the bullies, he runs into a Miami crack dealer named Juan who was shocked to see him. Full of empathy Juan takes Chiron to his home, where he meets Teresa Juan’s wife. After interrogating Chiron about his home, he remains silent except for his proclamation that he is not ready to go home. He is allowed the night off as he insists on not going home (David 45). The following morning Juan bring him back to his home where he encounters his mother Paula; a nurse, she was worried about the whereabouts of his son. Chiron begins to appear at Juan’s house more often as opposed to going to his home. Juan is full of empathy; he takes him to the beach, where he is taught how to swim, and he gives him general skills on how to be tough. One the other hand, Paula becomes addicted to crack, and she even confronts Juan publicly as a supplier of the contraband drug. Chiron opens up to Juan and Teresa concerning his sexual orientations after which his life becomes full of drama through his highschool years. Juan later dies, and Paula’s addiction grows from bad to worse.
According to Hellenistic astrology, Chiron is the name of a minor planet that is discovered between Saturn and Uranus. In its astrological description, Chiron is referred to as a ‘wounded healer’- a description that solemnly describes the character in the moonlight. Moonlight, in many ways, is based on the wounds inflicted onto Chiron on his immediate interactions between his mother, and his bully classmates (Copeland 689). Being the protagonist, Chiron is portrayed as being different from the rest of the boys, and this is the reason they bully him. Paula is portrayed as an irresponsible mother as illustrated by the distaste of his son Chiron does not spend more time with him and opts to spend more time in Juan’s house (David 32). Jenkins portrays Juan as being indecisive because he cannot choose between vice and virtue, this is illustrated when he is a fatherly figure to Chiron as well as a drug peddler who sells drugs to Chiron’s mother, Paula.
Moonlight employs the use of moody, mercurial rhythms that sets on a gloomy and sombre atmosphere that is inline with Chiron’s story (Copeland 688). In some scenes, the time frame is significantly stretched out to break the plot narration. The use of heightened pitch as Chiron hurtles through the school on his first attempt to seek revenge marks the first decision on his life that has dismal consequences. In a couple of scenes, the camera has been placed in a close-up format to involve the viewer in the conversation. The camera is swift to follow Chiron as he is in his way to take revenge; this sets the tone as being suspicious. The use of blue hue lighting in night scenes corresponds to the title of the film “Moonlight”. The camera follows Chiron in every stage of his life as a visual metaphor for Chiron’s continuous drive in searching for the truth in a life long journey (Copeland 692). The use of intimacy scenes in the film makes the viewer question some of the motifs that are seen as bizarre to others like “Do I have feelings for my friend?” Indeed Moonlight is an intricate work of Cinema.
Moonlight relates much to the psychology of a child who is growing in a background that of father absenteeism which is the central theme addressed in the play ‘In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue’. Chiron’s sense of self and the power of culture (Copeland 693). The film is quintessential in addressing social miseries. Chiron and Paula indeed suffer, but they are liberated from their affliction by the standard. Moonlight is presented so vividly that is so true to the source of adaptation. However, unlike the play, the film ‘Moonlight’ is driven more on the experience than the mechanics of the plot and therefore, there are numerous plot twists. Chiron’s relationship with his schoolmate Kevin evolves on basis loyalty and betrayal that is better watched than described in words.
The most peculiar aspect of ‘Moonlight’ is how it strips its characters of clinches despite being a typical style in Cinematography. Chiron being neglected and bullied during his childhood will surely break any emotional walls of the viewer. A profound performance anchors the film. ‘Moonlight’ plot twist is so profound that it incorporates many themes from drug and crime to high school bullying. The incorporation of dramatic irony into the film surely amazes the viewer. Its a triumph.
Works Cited
Copeland, Kameron J. “MOONLIGHT, Directed By Barry Jenkins”. Journal Of Homosexuality, vol 65, no. 5, 2017, pp. 687-689. Informa UK Limited, doi:10.1080/00918369.2017.1333815.
David, Edelstein. “The Wonderful Moonlight Is A Moody, Gentle Story Of Identity In 3 Acts”. https://www.vulture.com/2016/10/moonlight-movie-review-barry-jenkins.html. Accessed 7 Aug 2020.
Edelstein, David. “The Hidden Significance Of Moonlight’S ‘Chiron’”. Vulture, 2020, https://www.vulture.com/2016/10/hidden-significance-of-moonlights-chiron.html.