Moonrise Kingdom

I hate kid romances in movies. Most of the time they are portrayed as if no one has ever met a kid in real life. Kids are hardly even interested in the opposite sex. In my experience, the only way they even express that they are interested in the opposite sex is by hurting each other. I could never understand this as a kid. I remember Natalie in 4th grade mercilessly kicking me in the shins, which according to others was her way of telling me she liked me. Why couldn't she have written me a note or something? Notes are awesome. Kids would come up to me all the time when I worked at the Boys and Girls Club and tell me that some boy or girl hit them. I would always tell them that it's "because they like you", at which point I would hear a healthy response of "ewwww!!!!!" Granted I realize that movies are movies for a reason, and they aren't supposed to be real, but I need something for me to buy in. Plus it really hurts us guys whenever the 10 year old from Love, Actually is way more romantic than any guy could ever be, and expectations are shot to unrealistic proportions. Kids don't know romance and have no need for it. They're kids and I for one want them to act that way.

Having said all this, it really surprised me that I liked Moonrise Kingdom quite a bit. Granted I am a Wes Anderson fan, but a movie that centers on a kid romance would normally turn me away. Moonrise Kingdom is about Sam and Suzy, two 12ish year olds who decide to run away together. Sam and Suzy both are outcasts; Suzy is misunderstood by her parents (played by Bill Murray and Frances McDormand), and Sam is an orphan fleeing the Khaki scouts (including scout master Edward Norton). The movie is about the two fighting to be together, and the rest of the town trying to stop them. Bruce Willis is excellent as the police chief of the small island where the film is set.

What is endearing about Sam and Suzy's story is that they find acceptance in each other. This is not exactly a new concept, but Wes Anderson does a great job of making their relationship quirky and fun (wow, a review of a Wes Anderson film that didn't use the word 'quirky' until the third paragraph). They still act like kids; Suzy reads her books she stole from the library, and Sam chews Suzy's ear off with his knowledge of camping and the wilderness that he learned from scout camp. Everyone is looking for that person that will love them despite all their faults and all their crazy, which is what the two find in each other. I found myself rooting for them, despite how normally cynical I am towards kid romances. A great moment in the film is when Sam's fellow scouts agree to help the pair out. Jason Schwartzman has a few particularly hilarious moments on screen aiding the couple.

Forbidden romance is one of the oldest stories in the book. Throw obstacles between lovers and their is instant sympathy from the audience. But just because a romance is forbidden it is not necessarily compelling. Moonrise Kingdom does the forbidden romance angle in an engaging way. The soundtrack is perfect for the mood and lulls you into this state of feeling about the movie. I'm not even sure what that last sentence meant, but it's really the only way I know how to describe it. It was, uh, good and stuff. I guess.

This movie is pure Wes Anderson. The offbeat characters, the iconic shot of a large group of people staring into the camera, Bill Murray, the dry humor, and the lighthearted feeling in whatever circumstance. Fans of Wes Anderson will not be disappointed. I will say, his films are not for everyone. They have a very distinct hipster-esque style that is off putting for some.

Moonrise Kingdom is another great Wes Anderson movie. I feel like a director is pretty good if he can take subject matter that I am normally opposed to and make me like it. In the midst of comic book movies galore this summer, I found Moonrise Kingdom to be a well needed change of pace.

3.5/5