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Moonlight

  • 2016
  • R
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
342K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,309
202
Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
Trailer for Moonlight
Play trailer2:00
15 Videos
99+ Photos
Coming-of-AgeDrama

A young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.A young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.A young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.

  • Director
    • Barry Jenkins
  • Writers
    • Barry Jenkins
    • Tarell Alvin McCraney
  • Stars
    • Mahershala Ali
    • Naomie Harris
    • Trevante Rhodes
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    342K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,309
    202
    • Director
      • Barry Jenkins
    • Writers
      • Barry Jenkins
      • Tarell Alvin McCraney
    • Stars
      • Mahershala Ali
      • Naomie Harris
      • Trevante Rhodes
    • 1KUser reviews
    • 527Critic reviews
    • 99Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 3 Oscars
      • 235 wins & 310 nominations total

    Videos15

    Moonlight
    Trailer 2:00
    Moonlight
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:56
    Official Trailer
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:56
    Official Trailer
    What to Watch When You Need a Good Cry
    Clip 1:48
    What to Watch When You Need a Good Cry
    What to Watch When You Need a Good Cry
    Clip 2:25
    What to Watch When You Need a Good Cry
    Middle Of The World
    Clip 1:38
    Middle Of The World
    All Love All Pride
    Clip 1:04
    All Love All Pride

    Photos226

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 221
    View Poster

    Top cast27

    Edit
    Mahershala Ali
    Mahershala Ali
    • Juan
    Naomie Harris
    Naomie Harris
    • Paula
    Trevante Rhodes
    Trevante Rhodes
    • Black
    Alex R. Hibbert
    Alex R. Hibbert
    • Little
    • (as Alex Hibbert)
    Shariff Earp
    • Terrence
    Duan Sanderson
    Duan Sanderson
    • Azu
    • (as Duan 'Sandy' Sanderson)
    Janelle Monáe
    Janelle Monáe
    • Teresa
    Jaden Piner
    Jaden Piner
    • Kevin age 9
    Herman Caheej McGloun
    • Longshoreman
    • (as Herman 'Caheej' McGloun)
    Kamal Ani-Bellow
    Kamal Ani-Bellow
    • Portable Boy 1
    Keomi Givens
    • Portable Boy 2
    Eddie Blanchard
    • Portable Boy 3
    Rudi Goblen
    • Gee
    • (as Rudi Goblin)
    Ashton Sanders
    Ashton Sanders
    • Chiron
    Edson Jean
    Edson Jean
    • Mr. Pierce
    Patrick Decile
    • Terrel
    Herveline Moncion
    • Samantha
    Jharrel Jerome
    Jharrel Jerome
    • Kevin age 16
    • Director
      • Barry Jenkins
    • Writers
      • Barry Jenkins
      • Tarell Alvin McCraney
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Oscars Best Picture Winners, Ranked

    Oscars Best Picture Winners, Ranked

    See the complete list of Oscars Best Picture winners, ranked by IMDb ratings.
    See the complete list
    Poster
    List

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Naomie Harris had to shoot her entire role in three days, in between her promotional tour of Spectre (2015), due to a visa problem (Harris is British). The scenes spanned 15 years in the character's life and were filmed out of sequence.
    • Goofs
      When Chiron and his mother are in their house and she asks him for money, his backpack is placed at his front, strapped over both shoulders. However, in several shots where he is seen from the back, there is no strap over his left shoulder. At one point he switches the backpack from his front to his back, but right after that, when his mother starts struggling with him, the backpack is at his front again.
    • Quotes

      Juan: [to Little] Let me tell you something, man. There are black people everywhere. You remember that, okay? No place you can go in the world ain't got no black people, we was the first on this planet.

      [Slight pause]

      Juan: I've been here a long time. I'm from Cuba. Lotta black folks in Cuba. You wouldn't know that from being here, though. I was a wild little shorty, man. Just like you. Running around with no shoes on, when the moon was out. This one time, I ran by this old... this old lady. I was runnin' and hollerin', and cuttin' a fool, boy. This old lady, she stopped me. She said...

      [He pauses]

      Juan: [Imitating an old lady's voice] "Runnin' around, catching up all that light. In moonlight, black boys look blue. You blue, that's what I'm gon' call you. 'Blue'."

      Little: So your name 'Blue'?

      Juan: [Chuckles] Nah.

      [Another pause]

      Juan: [to Little] At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you gonna be. Can't let nobody make that decision for you.

    • Crazy credits
      There are no opening credits.
    • Alternate versions
      Despite the 'A' (adults only) rating, the Indian theatrical release was cut by 53 seconds by the Censor Board to mute all instances of "bitch/bitches, motherfucker, and dick", the sex scene between Kevin and Chiron, and the homosexual kiss between 2 boys. After cuts, 2 minutes was added to promote anti-smoking disclaimers.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Warren Beatty/Naomie Harris/Robbie Robertson/Aminé (2016)
    • Soundtracks
      Every Nigger Is a Star
      Written by Boris Gardiner and Barrington Gardiner

      Performed by Boris Gardiner

      Remix by Dennis "DEZO" Williams

      Courtesy of Now-Again Records, LLC obo Jazzman Records LTD.

    User reviews1K

    Featured review
    7/10

    Works better if thought of as a good indie, rather than an Oscar winner

    I remember the 'good old days' when IMDb review forums had a more balanced array of reviews, instead of everyone rating something 1 or 10, and then adding politics. So I'll add some of that to the mix. This was my experience: I watched it post-Oscar. My reaction: "Moonlight" is that type of movie that is best appreciated as a "hey, that was an interesting indie; it's well acted and I wonder what the director will do next", instead of an Oscar winner for best movie and best screenplay. It's the type of film that I would have added to my list after seeing it show up somewhere in the Independent Spirit Awards, like "L.I.E.", "Our Lady of the Assassins", "Paranoid Park", etc. It's stylish, it captures a slice of life, and it is mostly engaging. Unfortunately, like others point out, it feels under-done, like each act was cut short a little, and in particular the last act is underwhelming, and too much like a first-time screenwriter's autobiographical play. It's Oscar-winning screenplay is ironically quite short on story-telling, dialogue (yes, sometimes appropriately intentionally, other times just not very creative), and scenes that will engage enough.

    The cinematography is interesting, with a video-game like POV, floating over the lead character's shoulders from behind, inviting you into the action. There's some nice shots, good use of music (although sometimes cut a bit abruptly, and I would have liked to have heard more of the beautiful score), and a lot of use of the senses. Feel the ice, feel the sand, taste the food, enjoy the nightlight; it all feels relaxing, enhancing the ability to escape a grim reality into something more beautiful. Other sounds are blocked out or intentionally out of sync. I liked that Barry Jenkins was able to capture that.

    The first act has an excellent scene with a showdown between a surrogate father and an absent mother, which is also a debate about the drug dealer/drug user relationship. Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris are great in these respective roles. There's discussion of identity, acceptance, masculinity, and bullying. The second act builds on a climax in which the characters stands up for himself, literally and figuratively, and then takes on a sociopathic bully, who is one of this year's scariest villains. The third act tries to balance a charming but thin love story, while exploring identity, and the influence of our role models and life circumstances on ourselves.

    It sounds better than what it is, unfortunately. The trailer is great. But, again, the screenplay is underdeveloped. The third act is a different film, or perhaps needed to be shorter and add an additional act between that and the second one, to further flesh out the story.
    • demented_peruvian
    • Mar 5, 2017
    • Permalink

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    FAQ22

    • How long is Moonlight?Powered by Alexa
    • So, is Kevin's Miami apartment the exact same apartment as Dexter Morgan in Dexter?
    • How did Chiron know where Kevin worked? Judging by Kevin's surprise to see Chiron it can only be assume that there was only one phone call between them.

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 18, 2016 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Luz de luna
    • Filming locations
      • Miramar High School, Miramar, Florida, USA
    • Production companies
      • A24
      • Plan B Entertainment
      • PASTEL
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $4,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $27,854,932
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $402,075
      • Oct 23, 2016
    • Gross worldwide
      • $65,172,611
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 51 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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