Moonlight: A Barry Jenkins Masterpiece

Just in case anyone was worried: Cinema is alive and well!!!

Moonlight is a beautiful portrayal of an LGBTQIA+ coming of age film through the lens of the Black experience. The story follows the same character through elapsed time of three acts/chapters.

Act 1: Little

In the first act we meet Little as he is running away from bullies. He is mostly silent, not shy but reluctant to talk to the man who approaches him, Juan. 

Little grows very comfortable Juan and his "lady friend" Teresa fairly quickly, but Paula, Little's mom, is disapproving of him spending so much time with Juan and Teresa.  

We later find out that Juan was Paula's drug dealer when she was pregnant with Little. She makes a comment to Juan about the way Little walks and talks, allowing us to understand that Little was affected by his mothers drug use even before his birth.

Act 2: Chiron

We meet Chiron as a high school aged teenager, somewhere between 15 and 17 years old. Chiron is tall and skinny and is still just as picked on as he was when he was "Little". 

Chiron is also figuring out his sexuality. All of his peers are talking about girls in such a graphic and sexual way while Chiron stays silent to avoid being picked on further.

He ends up having an intimate moment with a close friend, Chris, whom he has known since their childhood. 

However, Chris is a victim of peer pressure during school. In avoiding being the next victim of the school bullies, Chris beats up Chiron in front of the whole school.

Chiron is also dealing with his mother and her ongoing battle with addiction, so when his bullies mess with him and push him over the edge, he fights back and is escorted by police. 

Act 3: Black

We meet Black during a point in his adulthood. We learn that he's moved to Atlanta, Georgia and has become a drug dealer, just like Juan. 

After many years of no contact, Chris reaches out to Chiron to see how he's doing. In a moment of destiny, Black goes out on a limb to see Chris and catch up. This becomes a full circle moment for Black, as he finally feels like he can accept himself.

I thought this movie was beautifully done. I love the color palette, the story, especially the relationship between Chiron and Chris. Chiron feels comfortable with Chris, he can be himself around him, and I love the way that element is portrayed in all three chapters of Chiron's life.

Overall rating: 10/10, and I will definitely be watching the film again!