BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
This story is set in the mid-60’s. A twelve year old orphaned outcast is at “Khaki Scout” summer camp. Nothing seems to be going his way except for his long distance relationship with Suzy, a girl he met a year ago. They exchange letters and eventually decide to run away together. This leads to her parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand), a cop (Bruce Willis), and the boy’s scout master (Edward Norton) go on a search for them. Meanwhile the kid’s fellow scouts go after him as well. The boy and girl camp out, talk, swim, French kiss, and just hang out. It’s a sweet time for sure. Jared Gilman does a great job as the awkward “Sam”. He’s like a little Jason Schwartzman, which in my book is a compliment. Kara Hayward plays “Suzy” and just about steals the show. She has that acting skill of telling a story with her eyes that the biggest stars still haven’t really gotten down. If both chose to continue with acting then I’ll surely check them out. On the merit of the two young leads alone, the casting of the movie should be rewarded and praised. Then again, this IS a Wes Anderson movie. Wes Anderson’s films are truly his own. They have a very distinct style with very distinct characters and a very distinct voice. The distinction is the beauty. He paints the screen with imagery, memorable characters, and some of the sharpest dialogue you’re going to find. If you love Wes Anderson movies then you’re going to love Moonrise Kingdom. It’s everything we’ve grown to love and expect from a Wes Anderson movie. It’s a very well-crafted movie with all the insecure quirks we all relate to. The casting is cool, the soundtrack is hip, and the warmth of Anderson’s artistic heart is in great abundance. The pacing is like a cucumber. A lot is going on, but at the same time we’re given a chance to eat up the visuals. I know I’d probably get harassed for it, but I thought “The Darjeeling Limited” was a better movie. I liked the story of this movie better, but overall I was just more absorbed in his last live-action movie. That doesn’t change the fact that this was a really great movie. See it if you have any appreciation for great film and/or specifically the magnificence of a Wes Anderson project. Like all mass-released art, there is a flip-side to this. If you’re not a fan of Wes Anderson films then I’m not sure how it would be judged. The slower pace of it would be boring. The sharper dialogue wouldn’t stand out as much because it’s not as poppy as a Diablo Cody-“Juno” style. The casting wouldn’t be as impressive outside of the bigger names like Willis, Norton, and Murray. The Michael Bay crowd would hate this movie and not understand it. Thankfully, Wes Anderson doesn’t seem to be making movies for those people. He has developed a nice niche in the filmmaking business that allows him to work with cool people, work in cool locations, and continue to make what he wants to make. If you watch this movie and don’t appreciate it then you’re just wrong. Cut and dry wrong. A-
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