For better or worse, Moonrise
Kingdom represents more of the same for Wes Anderson. Depending on how you feel about the
director and his quirky, heightened vision of reality, the idea that he threatens
to get even wilder and more outlandish could be either a shot of adrenaline or your
cue to exit the theater. Those
that stick around will find a thoroughly enjoyable childhood romantic comedy
that's sweet, fun and, at times, surreal.
Young lovers Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward) flee
their troubled lives causing a local search involving Suzy's parents (Bill
Murray, Frances McDormand), Sam's scout leader (Edward Norton), and the police
captain (Bruce Willis). The film struggles out of the gate feeling overstuffed
and bloated with way too many characters to keep track of. When the children
meet up everything evens out a bit, focusing on the Sam and Suzy as they're
discovering love, the wilderness and DIY accessories.
Despite having A-list stars topping Moonrise Kingdom's promotional material, this is very much a
showcase for Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. Gilman nails the detail-intensive
and assertive personality of Sam and Kara Hayward plays Suzy deceptively
straight with a quiet, nuanced performance. These two were made for each other, and without their
genuine performances, the film simply would not be the same.
The adults take a backseat to the kids here but are no less
impressive on their own. Bill
Murray and Frances McDormand are terrific as Suzy's worried parents, while Ed
Norton and Bruce Willis let loose a little bit as Scout Master Ward and Captain
Sharp respectively. Jason Schwartzman shines in a small but incredibly
hilarious role channeling a grown up Max Fischer. Even though I loved the
performances across the board, I just couldn't find myself really caring about
the adult subplots. There's too
much introduced and much of it is either abandoned or too quickly resolved by
the end.
A wonky script notwithstanding, the acting is great and, of
course, the art direction is gorgeous.
What it may lack in laugh-out-loud worthy moments, it makes up for with
pure, innocent emotion"”the kind that's earned by the end. While not one of
Anderson's best films, Moonrise Kingdom
will be cute and blissfully magical for those who love his work.
