Wes Anderson's latest film takes place on a little island off the coast of New England in 1965, and I suppose it could be argued that it deviates slightly from his usual aesthetic. Roman Coppola helped out with the screenplay, and the story centers on a young pair, Sam and Suzy, played by newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward.
They meet during a performance where Sam is attending with his scouts while Suzy is performing on stage. It’s love at first sight, I guess, leading them to communicate through letters. After a while, they decide to run away and live together in the wild. Sam bolts from his scout camp, and Suzy leaves her rather unhappy parents behind; without much of a plan, they just go camping. Their escape feels more like a flight from the people surrounding them—those who view them as problematic outsiders—and a rejection of senseless rules, routine, boredom, and childhood itself.
Naturally, the disappearance of two children triggers a massive search on this small island. Sam’s scout troop, led by the somewhat clumsy Scout master Ward (Edward Norton), joins forces with Police Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) to hunt for the runaways. Suzy's parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand) get involved quite aggressively, and later, social services step in because Sam's adoptive parents aren't interested in taking him back.
The film is full of charming, interesting moments. While there aren't many scenes that are purely hilarious, I think it easily keeps a smile on the viewer's face. Everything feels viewed through the eyes of a twelve-year-old—sort of magical and special, yet still grounded. The use of bright, saturated colors helps that; at times, the film almost looks animated.
It avoids typical modern character studies; instead, we meet characters quickly, seeing only the aspects essential to the plot. The characters are visually striking, much like the rest of the film, making Moonrise Kingdom one of the most visually potent films in recent memory. Generally speaking, there aren't any major flaws to find in Anderson's technical execution. The story itself is sweet and somewhat allegorical, though perhaps nothing groundbreaking. It feels like a brief glimpse into society and the transition into puberty from Wes's perspective. The cast is excellent.
Alongside Willis, Norton, Murray, and McDormand, we see Harvey Keitel, Bob Balaban, and Tilda Swinton in smaller roles. As for the leads, Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward, they are difficult to judge; if these performances were placed in any other context, they might be called disastrous. However, since Sam and Suzy are likely designed this way, it wouldn't be wrong to call their debuts solid. They didn't exactly dazzle me, but then again, the roles aren't particularly demanding.
One can draw quite a few parallels with Beasts of the Southern Wild, which deals with similar themes, though much more brutally and with a total blurring of imagination and reality.
Moonrise Kingdom is one of those movies that might not be for everyone due to its quirkiness—it's very Anderson, I suppose. But anyone who lets themselves get swept up in it will laugh, be entertained, and ultimately feel good after watching.
7.5/10
