Late to the "Moonrise"

There's a substantial possibility that Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom" will make a showing in the major Oscar categories this year, so though my review is extremely late, it may still have some relevance.

Not having written about any of his previous films, I feel I should first say a bit about the director, who is one of the more polarizing figures in current American cinema. He has cultivated a very particular visual aesthetic that hasn't changed much over the last decade, which some viewers have heartily embraced and others have rejected as overly indulgent and repetitive. Anderson's rigid composition, penchant for long shots, retro stylings, and fetishization of objects has been well documented, analyzed, and parodied. The term "hipster" comes up a lot. However, Anderson has found new variations on these common elements, with an animated film in "Fantastic Mr. Fox," and an exotic travelogue in "The Darjeeling Limited." Some have worked better than others, but I can't help feeling that Anderson has been steadily heading downhill since the high of "The Royal Tenenbaums" back in 2001.

And so we come to "Moonrise Kingdom," which is a tale of young love told in the style of a fantastic children's story. Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward), a pair of glum prepubescent loners, conspire to run away together. While Sam is on an outing with his Khaki Scout troop on the picturesque island of New Penzance, off the coast of New England, he secretly meets up with Suzy, who he had met the previous summer, and the two make their escape into the wilderness. The adults responsible for them, Scout Master Randy Ward (Edward Norton), Suzy's parents (Bill Murray, Frances McDormand), and local Police Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis), must find the children before an impending hurricane arrives. Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Bob Balaban, and Harvey Keitel also appear in smaller roles, but the film largely belongs to the two young leads as they explore the island together.

Wes Anderson fans and detractors will be quick to point out the whimsical production design, the precisely framed shots, and the slightly peculiar speech patterns of the characters – all typical of Anderson. And even though the director's favorite Futura font has been abandoned in favor of more whimsical calligraphic lettering, there's no getting around how familiar the whole film feels. Here are the lonely heroes, acting out in alarming ways because nobody really understands how they feel. Here are the dysfunctional families that need to be shaken up in order to come together more strongly. Here are the silly visual gags, delivered with a straight face. Here are a few minutes of charming animation. Here is Bob Balaban as your narrator, dressed like a jovial lawn gnome. Just 'cause.

In short, if you like Anderson's other films, and you like his style of storytelling, this film should work for you. If you find him insufferable, you may still want to give this a chance. The new variation this time around is the use of the kids' POV. Yes, it's the same Anderson story at its core, but filtered through the kids, the edges are softer, and the conceits are easier to cut through. Suddenly the stylized designs make sense, as they help the film achieve the look and feel of one of the fantasy books that the young heroine carries around with her. And where many Anderson heroes were men and women in arrested development, here the youngsters are pleasantly mature for their age. The story is also full excitement, with lots of camping and hiking and kayaking. Oh, and there's a hurricane, of course. And just when you think the kids are all sweet and innocent, we get a firm reminder that this is not a Hollywood film, and it's not rated PG-13 just for the smoking and fisticuffs. Twelve-year olds in this movie have hormones and act on them.

The younger actors prove capable at carrying the film, but that's not to say that the grown-ups don't pull their weight. The committed Scout Master is probably my favorite Edward Norton performance in years. Bruce Willis gives Captain Sharp some real heart, and he looks livelier than he has in most of the action films he's been in lately. I wish we got to see this side of Willis more often. Frances McDormand doesn't get enough screen time at all, but makes the most of it, and Bill Murray gets even less, but I'm not inclined to complain when he genuinely appears to be enjoying himself.

"Moonrise Kingdom" feels awfully derivative at times, and I don't think it hits the highs of "The Royal Tenenbaums" or "Rushmore," but it is the first Wes Anderson film I've felt so positive about in a long time. I'm not sure where Anderson is going to go from here, but I think he's proven that his formula or his template or whatever you want to call it, has proven very adaptable. And I'm very curious to find out where his inventories and his French pop songs and his zooms and overhead shots are going to pop up next.
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