Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Directed by: Wes Anderson | 93 minutes | comedy, drama, romance | Actors: Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Kara Hayward, Jason Schwartzman, Frances McDormand, Harvey Keitel, Jared Gilman, Bob Balaban, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, LJ Foley, Charlie Kilgore, Jake Ryan, Neal Huff, Gabriel Rush, Tommy Nelson, James Wilcox, Chandler Frantz, Tanner Flood, Lucas Hedges, Wyatt Ralff, Jordan Puzzo, Andreas Sheikh, George J. Vezina, Joshu Meehan

Problematic family relationships, impossible loves, existential voids; they are well-known themes in the oeuvre of director Wes Anderson. The quirky Texan makes films that everyone has an opinion about; either you love him or you hate him – there is no middle ground. ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (2012), a fable about a puppy love between two lost souls, is undeniably a Wes Anderson film. The story may be small, but the wonderful world that Anderson takes his viewers to and the care with which he has decorated that world have something undeniably magical. Of course, the director will once again team up with trusted allies such as actors Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman, co-screenwriter Roman Coppola, composer Mark Mothersbaugh and cinematographer Robert Yeoman. Remarkably, there is no trace of the inevitable Owen Wilson – along with Murray’s closest ally – in ‘Moonrise Kingdom’.

Not that we miss him, because in Anderson’s latest it is precisely the newcomers who shine. The lead roles in ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ are played by the very young Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward, who after a long exchange of letters decide to run away together, towards the great adventure. Before that, both are first introduced to the public in the signature Anderson way. Suzy Bishop (Hayward) lives with her parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand) and three insufferable brothers in a dollhouse-like home on a remote island in the US state of Rhode Island. It’s 1965, Suzy is twelve and a dreamer who prefers to be isolated with her adventure books, her cat and her records by Françoise Hardy. Also her binoculars should not be missing. She keeps a close eye on her mailbox every day. As soon as the postman has arrived, she runs outside to see if there is a letter from HIM…

He, also twelve-year-old Sam Shakusky (Gilman), is an orphaned child who, after the death of his parents, cannot settle in with his foster family. A year ago he met Suzy at a performance on the island – she had a part in the play, he was there as a spectator. A look and a handful of words were enough to establish that they are each other’s soul mate. Since then, they have been writing each other letters and planning to run off together. One morning he manages to slip away from the Boy Scouts. They meet at the agreed place, after which their new life can begin. Though the adults around them – Suzy’s parents, local sheriff Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) and nervous Scoutmaster Randy Ward (Edward Norton) think otherwise – they begin a search for the two runaways.

Kids who act like adults and adults who just don’t want to grow up – Wes Anderson’s track record is full of them. ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ does not deviate from its predecessors in that sense either. In addition to something alienating (due to the stylized setting) and something dryly comical, the film also has something moving. Moonrise Kingdom is by far the sweetest movie Anderson ever made. Of course, this has to do with the pure and early romance of the two young protagonists, but there is more. Bruce Willis, for example, was rarely as touching as we see him here, as the dim-witted but well-meaning sheriff who is called in to track down the runaways. Melancholy drips from his face. Incidentally, that also applies to the other adults in the film, they all have something sad. Sam and Suzy are intelligent enough to realize that they don’t want to chase their parents, so they must follow their dream while they still can.

Wes Anderson films are always a joy to watch, if only for the meticulous decoration and the funny, sweet or wacky details that abound. In addition, almost every scene contains the necessary symbolism, which makes watching the film even more fun. The fantastic cast (in addition to the names mentioned also Bob Balaban as bone-dry narrator and Tilda Swinton as ‘Social Services’) completes the party and the young debutants hold their own ground. Like every Wes Anderson film, ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ is probably not everyone’s cup of tea, but fans can once again fully enjoy this absurdist, on the other hand recognizable modern escapist fairy tale.