He has chronicled the dangers of school boy crushes in Rushmore, given us the dysfunctional family to end all dysfunctional families in The Royal Tennenbaums, and tackled Roald Dahl as only he knows how in Fantastic Mr. Fox. Now director Wes Anderson charts the course of young love in the 1960's with Moonrise Kingdom.
Framed by a fantastic on screen narration by Bob Balaban, the movie follows Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward), two twelve year olds who believe only they understand each other. When Sam escapes from his boy scout troop (employing a trick or two from The Shawshank Redemption), the two run away together, even though their plans don't seem to extend to getting off the island they call home. It isn't long till the adults, including Suzy's parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand), the local sheriff (Bruce willis), and Sam's troop leader (Edward Norton), get involved, and the search is on for the young lovers.
There is quite a lot to really like about this film. The 60's setting is wonderfully achieved, and Anderson's lo-fi effects add to the movies charm. The script is full of subtle humor and quirky character beats, complimented nicely by the assembled cast. New comers Hayward and Gilman excel as Suzy and Sam, carrying large chunks of the movie by themselves. The characters feel more grown up as the adults themselves, and the movie itself is almost like a love letter to illusions of youth, when we thought we knew better than those older than us. The elder cast members play their roles perfectly, especially Edward Norton as the scout master who takes his job way too seriously. And Bill Murray delivers yet another great performance for Anderson.
The Summer movie season is nearly in full swing, and before the cinema screens become full of dark fairy tales, trips to space, and daring super heroics, Moonrise Kingdom is worth seeing for a simple story, simply told but no less spectacular.
Framed by a fantastic on screen narration by Bob Balaban, the movie follows Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward), two twelve year olds who believe only they understand each other. When Sam escapes from his boy scout troop (employing a trick or two from The Shawshank Redemption), the two run away together, even though their plans don't seem to extend to getting off the island they call home. It isn't long till the adults, including Suzy's parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand), the local sheriff (Bruce willis), and Sam's troop leader (Edward Norton), get involved, and the search is on for the young lovers.
There is quite a lot to really like about this film. The 60's setting is wonderfully achieved, and Anderson's lo-fi effects add to the movies charm. The script is full of subtle humor and quirky character beats, complimented nicely by the assembled cast. New comers Hayward and Gilman excel as Suzy and Sam, carrying large chunks of the movie by themselves. The characters feel more grown up as the adults themselves, and the movie itself is almost like a love letter to illusions of youth, when we thought we knew better than those older than us. The elder cast members play their roles perfectly, especially Edward Norton as the scout master who takes his job way too seriously. And Bill Murray delivers yet another great performance for Anderson.
The Summer movie season is nearly in full swing, and before the cinema screens become full of dark fairy tales, trips to space, and daring super heroics, Moonrise Kingdom is worth seeing for a simple story, simply told but no less spectacular.
