Moonlight
for some sexuality, drug use, brief violence, and language throughout.
| Moral Rating: | Not Recommended |
| Moviemaking Quality: |
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| Primary Audience: | Adults |
| Genre: | Gay Drama Adaptation |
| Length: | 1 hr. 51 min. |
| Year of Release: | 2016 |
| USA Release: |
September 2, 2016 (festival) October 21, 2016 (limited) November 18, 2016 (limited) January 27, 2017 (wide—1,104 theaters) DVD: February 28, 2017 March 3, 2017 (wide—1,564 theaters) |
POVERTY—What does the Bible say about the poor? Answer
poor in the Bible
bullies and how they affect young people
illegal drug use and dealing drugs
CONSEQUENCES—What are the consequences of sexual immorality? Answer
GAY—What’s wrong with being gay? Answer
Homosexual behavior versus the Bible: Are people born gay? Does homosexuality harm anyone? Is it anyone’s business? Are homosexual and heterosexual relationships equally valid?
What about gays needs to change? Answer
It may not be what you think.
Read stories about those who have struggled with homosexuality
| Featuring |
Alex R. Hibbert (Alex Hibbert) … Chiron as a child named Little Ashton Sanders … Chiron as a teen Trevante Rhodes … Chiron as an adult named Black Jaden Piner … Kevin at age 9, Chiron’s closest friend Jharrel Jerome … Kevin age 16 André Holland … Kevin as an adult Mahershala Ali … Juan Naomie Harris … Paula Shariff Earp … Terrence Duan Sanderson … Azu (Duan 'Sandy' Sanderson) Janelle Monáe … Teresa Herman 'Caheei McGloun (Herman “Caheej” McCloun) … Longshoreman See all » |
| Director |
Barry Jenkins |
| Producer |
A24 Plan B EntertainmentSee all » |
| Distributor |
Obvious agenda
Here’s what the distributor says about their film: “A chronicle of the childhood, adolescence and burgeoning adulthood of a young black man growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami. The film presents three stages in the life of the main character. It explores the difficulties he faces with his own sexuality and identity, including the physical and emotional abuse he receives as a result of it.”
This is the first LGBT film, and the first film featuring an all black cast, to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Mahershala Ali is reportedly the first Muslim to win an Academy Award for acting.
Violence: Heavy / Profanity: Extreme / Sex/Nudity: Extreme
See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.
I started watching this movie, thinking I was going to see a gay propaganda movie. What I saw instead was the life of a young boy who turned into a man, and the struggles he went through in life. His main struggles were being neglected by a drug addicted mother, having no dad around to teach him how to be a man, having different men in and out of his house sleeping with his mom, and living in poverty.
All of this was compounded by his also having gay tendencies, and because of that, being targeted on a daily basis by other boys. If you see this movie, be prepared to see a gay kissing and fondling scene, and a hetero sex scene from the back.
There is also lots of profanity and heavy use of the “N” word.
Even though I was surprised to see that this was a good movie, I cannot recommend it to anyone who is spiritually very sensitive. To me, this movie has a “Boyz in the Hood,” or a “South Central” feel to it. The only difference is that one of the main characters happens to be gay.
Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.
The movie highlights the humanity of people we tend to dismiss as less than. People who make mistakes in life are still human. People who are attracted to their own gender are still human. They have dreams. Their lives matter. They have stories and we understand them better if we are willing to listen as they tell their stories. That’s the gold we find if we dive into this movie. Warning there is a clearly visible straight sexual intercourse scene and a not visible, fully clothed, gay sexual encounter scene.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 5