It's time for a confession: I had not seen a Wes Anderson film until Moonrise Kingdom. Simply because quirky films like Anderson used to be a huge pain for me to sit through and even now, after seeing some truly great films from that genre, most of them tend to rub me the wrong way. Yet, Moonrise Kingdom surpassed my expectations and quickly dug it's way into my heart. To be honest, it's one of the most lovable films I've seen all year and the sort of film that I think I will always be able to fall back on and re-watch whenever I'm in the mood to wear a huge grin on my face.
Anderson has a fantastic screenplay to work with, which he cowrote with Roman Coppola. The tone for this film is one that is constantly upbeat and charming, with lots of eccentricity and hilarity thrown into the mix. The film deals with all too relatable challenges associated with growing up- such as feeling like you're alone in the world, or that you're parents don't like you- but they are handled with a sweet sensitivity and without becoming overly dramatic. The quirkiness in the film also manages to improve the film and make it feel like an organic part of it, not like some unneeded addition. The quirks, also, tend to make the film even more wonderful. Edward Norton's grown up boy scout of a character is a wonder to behold, and I laughed out loud every time Tilda Swinton's character was referred to as "Social Services." Add in that the film is often hilarious, with a ton of quotable one liners and a surprisingly sweet romance between the two youthful leads, and you have yourself a real winner of a movie.
The most noticeable thing about Moonrise Kingdom, however, is how beautiful it is. I'm not quite sure how Anderson managed to make the film look the way it does, but I was astonished by how stunning some of the shots were. From it's opening moments to it's closing scenes, every shot seems perfectly planned and serves as a real feast for the eyes. It's the sort of film you'd want to take screen shots of and hang them from your walls. As I mentioned above, I haven't seen any other Anderson films, and cannot offer a comparison, but I can say that Moonrise Kingdom is, by far, the best looking film I've seen this year.
I suppose it's time to list the negative aspects of this film, but I can really only think of one, and it would spoil a major part of the film. So, I'll try to tiptoe around it, but still address it. In my opinion, a certain subplot involving Frances McDormand's character was incredibly unnecessary and did not add anything to the film. It felt forced into an otherwise tight screenplay and, in the end, there are no real consequences as to why it happened. I also wish we had the time to find out more about the other boy scouts in the film, and maybe a little more about Suzy's siblings, but these are minor quibbles and not so much flaws.
Also, there was one more thing I really noticed about this film: In the past, I have been extremely critical of child actors. In fact, I tend to hate them. Yes there are the rare few that prove to be quite talented in front of the camera but, most of the time, they seem awkward and distracted. Kara Hayward and Jared Gilman are not a part of that majority. Both young actors have so much natural screen presence and radiate with charm and realism. Their comedic timing is impeccable for actors of their age, yet they never feel too mature for their age. Actors like Dakota Fanning and Chloe Moretz, while quite talented, come across as young teens who will be turning 30 next month. Gilman and Hayward are both filled with youth and childhood charm, but never act too old for their age. These are two refreshing performances that completely deliver. In fact, I'd say they give the best performances in the film, much better than their experienced adult counterparts like Norton, Willis and McDormand.
It's too early to say where Moonrise Kingdom will fall on my Top 10 list, but I really can't imagine an adequate list without this film appearing on it. I'm not sure if it's my favorite film of the year, but I feel as if it's the most re-watchable by a mile. It's consistently entertaining, heartwarming, hilarious and filled with so many stunning images that I feel like it will never get old. I can't wait to see it again, which, unfortunately, won't be until the holidays when I (hopefully) get it as a gift. But you don't have to wait that long! Check this film out as soon as possible, it's a truly special film.
OVERALL GRADE: A
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