Moonlight (2016)

Moonlight follows the life of Chiron, a quiet Black boy coming of age in a rough Miami neighborhood, as he wrestles with his identity, sexuality, and the forces that shape him. The film is told in three distinct chapters—childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood—each capturing how moments of tenderness, violence, neglect, and care shape who he becomes. Key relationships—with his neglectful, drug-addicted mother Paula; his compassionate mentor Juan and Juan’s partner Teresa; and his complicated friend Kevin—define the small but powerful choices available to him. Seeing Moonlight, you’ll experience a slow, intimate portrait rather than a conventional plot-driven drama. The storytelling is spare and poetic: quiet scenes that linger, close-up performances that reveal inner life, and a mood that moves between vulnerability and endurance. The film explores themes of masculinity, love, shame, and survival with sensitivity, asking how a person learns to be seen and to see themselves amid poverty, addiction, and homophobia. Emotionally, the movie can feel both painful and unexpectedly tender. Expect to be drawn into Chiron’s interior world—feeling his isolation, small comforts, and the weight of choices he must carry—and to come away with a lingering, humane impression rather than neat answers. Moonlight is a restrained, powerful coming-of-age study that stays with you long after it ends.

Actors: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Trevante Rhodes

Director: Barry Jenkins

Runtime: 111 min

Genre: Drama

6.8 /10 99 /100 7.4 /10 8.0 /10