"Moonrise Kingdom"
I've always enjoyed the works of
director Wes Anderson. He has a quirky sense of humor that seems to beam
from his characters who spout his very particularly written dialogue. I
can understand though that Anderson’s films are not everyone's cup of
tea. For me though he lets his characters and plot steep just long enough
so that a certain tasteful flavor is enjoyed after each of my viewing
experiences. For Anderson's latest project Moonrise Kingdom, the
director gives his audience more of what they've come to expect from
him. That isn't necessarily a bad thing and I'm certainly not saying that
Anderson is a one note writer/director. He has become quite comfortable
at creating situations and placing individuals within these situations that
somehow just end up working. Moonrise Kingdom is definitely his
strongest film since Rushmore and The Royal Tenebaums.
Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy
(Kara Hayward) are two twelve year olds living on the New England island of New
Penzance in 1963. Although the two pre-teens come from different
backgrounds they share some of the same characteristics. Sam and Suzy are
both troubled and lack the social skills of acquiring any friends that is to
say except for the mutual attraction they have for each other. Sam
decides to resign from his post in Troop 55 which is part of the Khaki Scouts
of North America led by Scout Master Ward (Edward Norton.) Suzy flees the
home of her parents Laura (Francis McDormand) and Walt (Bill Murray)
Bishop. The two star-crossed lovers run away together for a ten day
romantic getaway. The two adult parties enlist the help of Captain Sharp
(Bruce Willis,) head of the local law enforcement. Even though opposing
forces are trying to tear Sam and Suzy apart their hope is that love conquers
all.
Newcomers Gilman and Hayward are
so good together. I imagine that the casting process for the two leads
took Anderson quite a while before he found the perfect pair. The two
choices he settled on were perfect for their roles. Sam and Suzy are the
most mature twelve year olds I've ever seen. Gilman and Hayward tackle
Anderson's typical dialogue seemingly with ease. Also thematically I
think the duo understands what each of their characters want and what motivates
their actions. Parallels to Romeo and Juliet can certainly be
drawn from Sam and Suzy's relationship but this time Romeo and Juliet are in
the setting of a Wes Anderson film.
Themes of individuality, love,
togetherness, and family are certainly universal but the material is still
fresh and handled in such a way that only seems natural to Anderson. As I
already mentioned, the two leads are splendid. That's probably why this
film works so well. Gilman's and Hayward's performances are convincing to
me because they understand these themes as well as what they are saying to each
other. The two are also able to hold their own while sharing screen time
with any of the adult actors. They are clearly the centerpiece and
without them the film would most certainly fall apart. I also give a lot
of credit to Anderson because working with children is no easy task.
Whatever sort of direction he gave them while shooting this picture was
excellent.
Praiseworthy too are the adults
of the film. I was most impressed with Willis. True, he is playing
another character that is sworn to protect and serve but this time he isn’t
running around chasing terrorists in a high rise, an airport, or the streets of
NYC and Washington DC. Captain Sharp is the complete 180 of John
McClain. Maybe that’s why Willis took the role because playing Sharp
would be a nice change of pace for him. His character is still a hero,
just not an action hero.
There is a certain likable
quality to Moonrise Kingdom that passionately glows from Anderson's
peculiar characters, specifically framed shots, and meticulously detailed
sets. The film compares itself to that of a symphony. Each instrument
has a part that is played at just the right time. Once all the parts are
introduced they produce a beautiful piece of music that is to be enjoyed by all
who listen. Anderson is obviously the composer and conductor of his
symphony and everyone involved is in perfect harmony with each other.
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