Review: Moonrise Kingdom

Perhaps as is the custom when viewing the work of a cult director like Wes Anderson there is the temptation to constantly compare new work to previous work and to sometimes erroneously conclude that said director has just rehashed an earlier hit. I think that this deters from the otherwise pure pleasure obtained from watching a Wes Anderson film so my advice, if you haven't already seen Moonrise Kingdom is to simply go, watch and enjoy. Moonrise Kingdom is only similar to Anderson's previous work in that it bears the indelible stamp of his unique aesthetic. Naturally, since each of his films bears his unmistakable signature one can imagine a Wes Anderson universe where a Tenenbaum might leaf through a book by oceanographer Steve Zissou or a Max Fischer might attend school with the offspirng of Suzy Bishop and Sam Shakusky.

Suzy and Sam are outsiders in a tiny town on an island off of the coast of New England. Sam is miserable because he doesn’t have a family whereas Susie is miserable because she does have a family. Both are misunderstood, Sam is constantly referred to as being emotionally disturbed and Susie as being violent (which she is but not without provocation). They meet by chance one day  and fall instantly in love. After secretly sending letters to one another for a year they arrange to runaway together and live in the wilderness using Sam's Khaki Scout skills to survive. An island wide search for the two ensues led Suzy's outraged parents (Frances McDormand and bill Murray), the troupe of Khaki Scouts that Sam deserted and the local police officer (Bruce Willis) who is stern but kind.

The film is filled with those little details that we love Anderson for, fantasy book covers designed just for the film (pictured above), simple but memorable costuming like Susie's DIY beetle and fish hook earrings and quirky but believable interiors (doesn't everyone want a house with a faux lighthouse?). 

 My only disappointment with the film was that there was not very much Tilda Swinton in it but that's just my own personal bias. The young stars, Kara Hayward (Suzy) and Jared Gilman (Sam) were superb and were never less than convincing. I should point out that this was the first film role for both Hayward and Gilman. Judging by their performances in the film I would say that they both have long careers ahead of them.

For Toronto screening times and locations click here.