Moonrise Kingdom
Rating – 4/4
**SPOILERS**
Two Social Outcasts Falling in Love would be the name of the painting. In typical Wes Anderson fashion, we get a story of first love and first acceptance of two misfit children. Bright colors, bright costumes, and warm feelings bring a painting to life and into a film. And I’m all for it. As I’ve stated before, I'm a sucker for a good love story and this is definitely one of them.
On the island of New Penzance. Teenagers Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Heyward) are two social outcasts. Both feel unwanted by their families (in Sam’s case, he’s an orphan) and friends. And so, they fall in love and run away together to their own private land that they name “Moonrise Kingdom.”
They sleep together, cook together, dance together, confess their love for each other, kiss for the first time, and experiment with each other. Kids trying to act like adults and make their way in the world results in some very awkward, but also heartwarming situations. They’ve found a world where they can be unapologetically themselves.
Of course, this sends shockwaves throughout the island and of course, pisses a number of people off. Sam’s fellow Khaki Scouts and Suzy’s parents plot to stop this new romance and topple their new kingdom.
If you’ve seen a Wes Anderson film, then you won’t be surprised by any of his signature thumbprints. Bright, pastel colors, deadpan acting, wide shots of symmetry, and quirky humor. His films are paintings brought to life as part of a different world, one of whimsicality and fantasy, but just realistic enough to be relatable.
And think about it.
As a teen, didn’t you want to be in your own world where you could do whatever you wanted? Your own kingdom (pun intended), if you will, where you rule. And if you felt alone, didn’t you want someone to be with? Did you really want adults telling you “no?”
Sam and Suzy represent the innocence of first love and the rebellion of youth. They’re not running away, but rather running towards acceptance. Anderson brings us into their own world where we can understand them and watch them run free. We are their acceptance and we cannot help but support them as we can relate to their struggles.
I also want to praise both Jared Gilman and Kara Heyward for their performances and maturity in roles that required certain levels of understanding. They perfectly portray the awkwardness of first love that never feels cheesy nor forced, but appropriate for their characters. It’s hard enough to have romantic scenes, but much harder for children and they pull it off wonderfully.
I guess that means I have to say that this movie has good direction and solid writing as well. But it’s Wes Anderson, so that’s a given.
Moonrise Kingdom is a painting brought to life through its visuals and storytelling. But it’s also a window into the minds of two adolescents and we can experience the awkwardness and sweetness of first love. Is the world realistic? Not always. But are the experiences relatable? Absolutely. Think about your first kiss and the first time you rebelled against adult authority. Think about your first love or your first date. All potential reflections of your life that Anderson has presented.
Maybe we’re not in Sam and Suzy’s world at all. Maybe we’re just reliving our own.
