That child has to eat, is what people would say. Eventually, the two find themselves at Kevin's apartment where Chiron breaks down, revealing to Kevin that he is the only man Chiron has ever been with. After all these years, three periods define a vulnerable young adult Chiron who, above all, is still struggling with complex pent-up emotions. Then Chiron asks if he himself is a faggot. Why classes are used in Java? He won an oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Why is September 15 Clemente Day? When Kevin reappears in Chirons life towards the end of the film, it symbolizes that Kevin is in a place now where he has broken free from the hard lifestyle: Now I got lil Kev, got this job, another 18 months probation. We see them sitting on the subway, we see them in the corner, and we think I cant identify with the person I have nothing in common with them, and because we cant identify with them, they become invisible. "I was a wild lil' shorty, man, just like you. The next day, Chiron walks into school, determined. Get Your Answer Here. This one time, I run by this old lady. But if it wasnt for Juan seeing something familiar, special, in young Chiron, if he hadnt shown the quiet little boy that someone can accept him unconditionally, Chirons future would have been trapped in despair. a lizard. Slang. The movie brings out the painful struggle that sexual orientation has on the identity of a young black boy, Chiron, growing up in Miami, Florida. At school the next day, Terrel asks Kevin if he remembers playing the game "knock down, stay down" as children, asking Kevin if he'll beat up whoever Terrel points out. Paula badgers Chiron for the money she knows Teresa gives him, eventually wresting it from his pocket. Remade Paula Deen Recipes. While his character disappears early on in the film, however, his legacy ultimately lives on in Chironwho (ironically) eventually becomes a drug dealer himself by the third act. She said runnin around catchin up all the light, in moonlight, black boys look blue. The only friend Chiron had growing up was his childhood friend and first love, Kevin. What Really Happened in this Game? Chiron was accepted by Juan, completely and effortlessly, as the divine ocean embraced them. He is first introduced having a conversation with one of his customers. Either way, Juan had gone much too soon in Chiron's story. In the context of Juan's advice to "decide for yourself who you're going to be," Chiron's decision to seek revenge on Terrel seems like a perversion of the notion that one can shape one's own future. Barry Jenkins: He did a great job of capturing the spirit and essence of this place that were from which is Liberty City, Miami. Kevin, though, is shocked to learn of Chiron's life. He gives into these traditional ideas of masculinity not because they fit him, but as a survival tactic. Kevin puts him off, acting natural, but the notion of nicknames and how they inform one's identity is a theme that will persist throughout the film. A large part of the process wasme being able to empathize with Little and blend his life with myself and Tarell, who are all coming together as this one person. Even though I think theres very few people in general that can specially connect to Chirons experience, I think in some way all of have been the other, the person on the outside, maybe not persecuted to the degree that this young man is, but I think we all want to be loved and embraced and need connection and support and family and mentorship. It is only explained through conversations that he has died. Our hero asks Juan if his mother does drugs, and when Juan says yes, Chiron leaves. In the principal's office, Chiron is urged to press charges and give the school the names of the boys who beat him up. Its hard for a man of color walking those sun-bleached streets not to watch his back or feel that his days are numbered. Hes being pursued by a group of boys, and he ducks into a condemned building to escape. Chiron is the focal point of the story, but there is another character who stood out to me more than anyone else in the film: Juan. Realisation Account is opened at the time of dissolution of a partnership firm.In this account, the assets and liabilities are transferred at their book values. He cries, telling the principal she doesn't understand. Juan takes Chiron to one of their local Miami beaches and holds him in the water. The audience is left to assume that Juan has been crucified by the inevitable, doomed life of any long time drug-dealer. Running away from bullies nearly all his life, the intimidated boy finds refuge in a derelict crack-den, where Juan, the expendable drug dealer, takes him under his wing. As an adult, Chiron now goes by "Black," and lives alone. Teresa was Juans girl friend. Juan : [Chuckles] Nah. Kevin explains that he got detention for having sex with a girl in the hallway at school. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . Moonlight was the former leader of the Sisters. Scene follows scene with the kind of purposefulness you find in fairy tales, or in those Dickens novels about boys made and unmade by fate. Terrel falls to the ground, tightening his fists but mostly still. Because of Juans lasting legacy, Chiron was finally able to live with himself and live freely. And because of this sort of awards tour, and us getting to share the film so much with people, hes back with me so I get to think about him., 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Juan pulls off a wooden board from the window and finds the boy hiding. When the main protagonist, Chiron, is chased by bullies through the street, Juan hides him in his crackhouse and saves his life. This old lady, she stopped me. After this, while on the beach at night, Kevin and Chiron share an intimate moment. The film tells a beautiful story, told in three acts, about its main character Chiron (Trevante Rhodes).. He was living in Atlanta, Georgia near his mother, who is now sober and living in a halfway home. Though portrayed as dead in the movie, his immense influence lived on through Chiron, the main Protagonist in the movie. Not even just the story of Chiron, which is one thing very specific to this film, but even just in general in telling the story of what I think is this a very beautiful, complex place in the inner city of Miami. My second thought was, What can I do to make this [film] a reality? because sometimes when you readsomething, you can see it, and as a filmmaker, when you can read and see it, its a gift. What is the streaming release date of Moonlight (2016) in Canada. Throughout the rest of the film, it is only explained through dialogue that Juan has died. Kevin goes to detention, saying, "See you, Black," his nickname for Chiron. I just know hes created a space to come out I dont mean come out of the closet, but a space to come out of his shell and allow himself to be held. More books than SparkNotes. In short, the last line of Moonlight embodies the psychic and sexual longing that defines Black's life. Remove the lettuce from the water and place it in a salad spinner to dry. Viewers first meet Chiron when he is a little boy and is troubled by both bullies and an addict mother. Moonlight's best moments come in Little's reaction to Juan's affection, but later scenes of Chiron's erotic confusion and Black's maudlin self-pity (he wears muscular drag yet succumbs . Hes an outsider at school, and at home, too. Shes a rotten baby, flailing around, as full of bile as Terrel (Patrick DeCile, in an incredible characterization), who bullies Chiron at school. The motif of nicknames also persists into this chapter, echoing Juan's earlier story about when he was given the nickname "Blue." He may be a boss on the streetshis black do-rag is his crownbut hes intelligent enough to know that hes expendable, that real power doesnt belong to men like him. Its a life, you know? The next day, Chiron meets Juan, telling him he hates his mother for the way she treats him. I wanted to cast different people to play the same person, and I wanted to give him a different name. theGrio:What was it about Tarell Alvins McCraneys play that made you want to retell the story in film? The last scene we see of Juan is when a young Chiron asks Juan if he is a drug dealer, to which Juan responds with a painful and honest: Juans heart-breaking guilt for being the reason why Chirons mother continued down her never-ending rabbit hole of addiction brings Juan to tears. Whether or not it was intentional from the writers or the director of the film, they never stated exactly how Juan had passed. How he looks at a man or doesnt look at a man. Theres been a lot of talk around Hollywood about Moonlight. He saw it in Juan. There is a crown on Chirons dashboard, just like Juans car had. BJ:The movie is inherently intersectional to me. This process dilutes the system water mineral concentrations that steadily increase due to water evaporation. And I wanted the audience to feel what its like to have that person snatched out. One could conclude that she was the mother figure that Chiron lacked. Although this scene on the beach is in some ways a victory for Chiron, because it marks the first time he's able to act on his sexuality, it also kickstarts his downfall by lulling him into the security that comes with reciprocated love. As a little boy, Chiron does not fit the typical idea of masculinity, and the other boys bully him because of this. Kevin was Chirons first and only sexual experience with a boy. However, there is also a palpable difference between the scenes. But, at the end of every outing, Teresa and Juan show their respect by returning Chiron home. Juan finds a young Chiron hiding from the other young boys in the neighborhood after they chase him down for being different, for appearing weak; for being gay. Blue represents what Juan represents; freedom, self-acceptance, and the heart of Miami. Courtesy of Color . Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Juan made a great impact on Chirons life during the short time they met. Juan tells Chiron a story. VIDEO: Mahershala Ali Talks 'Moonlight' Live on 'GMA', Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. They laugh, and Kevin says he didn't know Chiron smoked. Juan follows, entering through a blasted-out window, a symbol, perhaps, of the ruin left by the riots. Last Update: Jan 03, 2023. The couple look on as the kid eats and eats; its clear, though, that hes hungry for more than food. The film tells a beautiful story, told in three acts, about its main character Chiron (Trevante Rhodes). Juans biggest impact on Chiron was when he was, well, Little. The beach is a happy memory and a safe place for Chiron, so this callback to it at the film's closure showcases that he feels safe with Kevin and that really, even though he's built up these tough walls, he is still that same young Chiron from the film's opening. When Chiron asks Juan if Blue was his name, Juan said: At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you gon be. She pointed out to Juan about the peculiar way in which Chiron carries himself, especially his feminine walking style. MUSIC: BORIS GARDINER - EVERY N*GGER IS A STAR (1974)From the movie Moonlight (2016) - In Select Theaters Still **Moonlight DVD and Blu-ray release date is s. In the third act of the film, audiences are introduced to a seemingly entirely different Chiron.