#jaredgilman

So, I bought this book simply on the strength of it being a Wes Anderson film. I hadn’t heard about or searched out the critics’ reviews and opinions, so I went into this film fairly blind. It could have been another The Darjeeling Limited for me. 

I jumped in blind.

And I discovered another favourite movie.

And then I find that the critics wet themselves with joy over it. (Just an expression. I don’t think anyone actually wet themselves.)

These are children who are at most 15 yrs old. Yet they have the presence and self-awareness of actors twice their age. Either this is excellent casting, or mindful directing from Wes Anderson. 

Personally I’d say a bit of both. The leads, Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward have a natural youthful exuberance, enhanced by the plot and the directing, but they also hold my attention when they speak. There’s an intensity to their acting, which I enjoyed. There were a few adult moments, like Sam’s nude watercolour, Sam and Suzy’s rather ‘close’ canoodling on the beach and their desire to get married - it’s Leanne Battersby and Nick Tilsley from Corrie all over again - but other than this, I enjoyed what these young actors brought to this movie.

The adults were all supporting actors, pretty much. 

So! I LOVE Moonrise Kingdom for these 7 reasons:

The Music. It starts with classical music from Benjamin Britten - BENJAMIN BRITTEN!!!!! - and continues further on in the movie with Saint Saens!!! Culturally on a different level here!

The standoff in the forest between the young lovers and the Khaki Scouts. And the Scouts lose!

Bill Murray being a cuckolded husband. AGAIN! (He plays it so well though.)

Sam and Suzy’s dancing on the beach. Extremely 60s and unafraid.

Wes Anderson gives Sam, Suzy and their posse a slow-mo walk after their wedding. Impossibly cool moment.

The lengths that Suzy and Sam will go to to stay together. Running away from home (twice), fighting fellow Khakis, getting struck by lightning, climbing onto the roof of a church during a thunderstorm...

The narrator. Bob Balaban. He actually looks like an adult elf. And you don’t even realise he’s talking half the time. And he gets himself involved in the action halfway through! Talk about breaking the 4th wall...

I find this film delightful. Absolutely delightful.

Watch it. It’s definitely a personal favourite of mine...

More tomorrow!

(Comment here or on Twitter - @hmswilliams04)