Moonlight centers around the life of Chiron, a young black man growing up in a rough area of Miami. More specifically, we get a glimpse into three defining stages of his life and how they all intertwine and shape him into the man he is to become.
Each of these three stages in Chiron’s life depict the daily struggles of growing up in a rough area, and how this subsequently plays into his journey towards manhood. One thing that soon becomes clear is that Chiron has been questioning his sexual identity since childhood and this is something we see in his first stage of life. As the film progresses, we see him struggle to figure out who he is on top of all of the external challenges he faces.
Something that this film makes abundantly clear is that it’s important to have some form of a loving support system, especially when life keeps throwing obstacle after obstacle at you. In the beginning of the film we are introduced to a character named Juan, who despite living a questionable lifestyle himself, takes Chiron under his wing and teaches him a lot of important lessons in the first stage of his life. Throughout the rest of the film it is made clear that Juan played a significant role in not only shaping Chiron into the man he becomes, but also in reminding Chiron that it’s okay to be who he is.
By: Lily Benedetti
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