Moonlight, directed by Barry Jenkins in 2016 is a coming-of-age story unlike any other. The film follows Chiron, a young black man through three defining chapters of his life in Miami. Through these three distinct chapters, we see his childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, as he grapples with his sexuality and identity while navigating poverty and social pressures. This film shows subtle storytelling, which impacts audiences and cinematic representation. In this review, I’m going to delve into the meaning of the movie, and Chiron’s identity.
Little I
In the chapter called “Little” from Barry Jenkins’s Moonlight, we see a deep look into Chiron, who is a young boy facing a lot of bullying because of how others see him as weak and feminine, and throughout this part, his struggle to understand his own sexuality unfolds against a backdrop of a tough and often unkind world, where the film cleverly uses different visual styles, like close-ups that show his fear and wide shots that illustrate how small he feels in the overwhelming surroundings of Liberty City in Miami, often showing him running, which reflects his desperate attempts to escape the harshness he faces.
In the film, Chiron encounters a man named Juan, who, although he is a local drug dealer, plays a significant role in Little’s life by providing him with a rare instance of kindness and acceptance. Juan not only teaches Chiron how to swim, which serves as a meaningful gesture of encouragement and empowerment, but also turns the water into a place of peace for Chiron, allowing him to temporarily escape his burdens and feel a sense of freedom, all while Juan’s soothing words, “You’re not alone,” stick with Chiron as he yearns for connection and understanding, making this moment not all about acquiring the skill of swimming, but rather about learning how to navigate the challenging waters of his identity.
Entering the film is Chiron’s best friend Kevin. The film shows Chiron beginning to understand his feelings about his sexuality during a playful wrestling match with Kevin while playing at school, where a brief touch and shared look suggest an attraction, highlighting the confusion and secrecy he feels due to fear and judgment.
In a deeply emotional part of the chapter, Chiron feels a heavy sadness as he sees his mother, Paula, unexpectedly scolding Juan for being nice, which shows how complicated and often confusing the relationships in Chiron’s life are. Paula loves her son very much but is battling her own problems that unintentionally cause him more hurt, while Juan, who has been involved in crime, provides a real kind of support that is so different from the insincere worry shown by many people who are considered respectable in Chiron’s neighborhood.
“Little” takes a thoughtful and emotional look at how a young boy named Chiron faces challenges with his identity in a tough world, laying the groundwork for what comes next by showing where his insecurities come from and his desire for connection, while the well-crafted storytelling encourages the audience to recognize the important moments that shape this young man’s life and emphasizes how much societal expectations affect his path towards finding himself.
Chiron II
The second chapter of Moonlight, titled “Chiron,” focuses on his teenage years. Chiron, now stepping away from his childhood as “Little,” finds himself in a tough high school world where he faces increasing challenges and is on a heartfelt journey to understand who he is while dealing with the deep scars from his past and the confusing feelings about his sexuality. This chapter paints a vivid picture of Chiron’s isolation. We see Chiron’s troubled relationship with his mother, Paula, whose addiction harms him, deepening his sense of loneliness while their moments of care are overshadowed by her controlling actions and his rising anger. While everyone questions what happened to Juan, the movie pans over to Chiron’s mom, making fun of Juan’s death which completely breaks Chiron. He endures relentless bullying at school from Terrell and his friends, which pushes him to withdraw and seem distant. The beach becomes his sanctuary, a place of temporary escape from the harsh realities of his daily life.
The gentle relationship he forms with Kevin brings a sense of hope and the chance to get closer, as their shared vulnerabilities create a space for careful exploration, leading to a meaningful moment on the beach that, even though it is short, stands out in Chiron’s memory as one of the few real connections he experiences in a world that often seems to ignore him. Terrel’s betrayal shatters the bond among the characters, and Kevin’s forced violence against Chiron shows the harmful effects of toxic masculinity, leaving Chiron hurt and hiding his true self. Chiron ends up not being able to take it anymore, one day he walks into school, violently attacking Terell by smashing a chair over his head in a moment of rage. The events after this incident change Chiron’s life, as he takes in the pain he has felt and caused, becoming the tough person we see at the end, especially during the arrest scene where he stares bravely at the camera, showing his new identity built from struggle and the need to survive.
Black III
In the third chapter of Barry Jenkins’ film Moonlight, called “Black,” we see Chiron as a young adult who now goes by the nickname “Black,” a name given to him by Kevin years ago, and this chapter dives into how trauma repeats itself and how hard it is for Chiron to break free from the experiences of his childhood, as he has taken on a tough exterior shaped by the violence and prejudice he faced while growing up, now looking physically strong like his old mentor Juan who has passed away, as Chiron becomes involved in dealing drugs like his mother Paula but seems to have a better grip on his life, wearing a grills and driving a car similar to Juan’s in an effort to show strength and masculinity that he connects with Juan.
Throughout the story, there are glimpses into Paula’s ongoing battle with addiction which has led to bad relationships and fall in both her personal life and interactions with others. Despite these challenges, it is clear that she loves Chiron deeply but lacks the capacity or resources to effectively care for him due to her own struggles. We see a heartfelt interaction between Chiron and Paula while she is in rehab. She acknowlegdes the pain she caused him during his childhood and expresses deep regret, apologizing for her past behavior. While Chiron listen’s, his expression shows a mix of emotion, including sadness, anger, and a hint of acceptance. This scene is a special moment in the film, marking a potential turning point in their relationship even though it occurs late Chiron’s life.
This chapter showcases a heartfelt reunion between Chiron and Kevin, where Kevin, who is now a cook at a diner, unexpectedly reaches out to Chiron, leading to a meeting filled with unspoken emotions and a strong feeling of yearning, as Kevin, who appears more at ease with himself, begins to talk and share stories about his life, including a child and a past relationship, Chiron, who initially keeps his guard up, starts to let his walls down, revealing the deep loneliness and emotional distance he has faced since his time in Miami. A crucial moment in the chapter happens when Kevin cooks a meal for Chiron, an act that reflects the kindness Juan showed during Chiron’s childhood, emphasizing how deeply Juan influenced him, and turning their shared meal into a moment of trust that allows a spark of closeness to emerge again between Chiron and Kevin. The scene then ends with Chiron and Kevin sitting with eachother, as Kevin comforts Chiron in his arms, now seeing the love they truly had for eachother in the end.
“Black” explores themes of identity, masculinity, and the search for connection. It shows how deeply Chiron has been shaped by his past experiences, but also suggests the possibility of healing and self-discovery through genuine human connection. The chapter leaves the audience with a sense of hope that Chiron might finally break free from the cycle of pain and find a path towards self-acceptance and love.
