Parent reviews for Moonlight

A stunner of a film...just breathtaking. Each actor from Little, to Chiron, to Black do a fantastic job of making us believe it is the same person at different points of their lives. This film is sweet, tender, and fragile...like us. A film about intimacy and human connection and all of its wonder. Beautiful, artful, and hopeful.

After reading some of the reviews I almost watched this with my 11 and 13 year old boys. I am so glad I didn’t! This is a very mature movie and definitely not appropriate for anyone under 16. Please watch this movie alone before deciding if you want to watch it with your children.

Yes, there are scenes in this movie not suitable for kids of a certain age. There are scenes of violence and raw bullying that can be gruesome and be on a personal level. If your child is struggling with issues of bullying, it might not be good for them to watch Moonlight. If your child has been a bully, urge them to watch this. This movie fully encompasses a story of a struggling child not just with his sexuality, but his life in general. His mom is a drug addict, another cautionary idea to note, but isn't shown in the movie other than to advance the story. The violence in this movie is stripped down to solely advance the story, and it's not made to entertain people, but made to make people upset and to make them think about their society and how they act around people. This could possibly include if they're bullying somebody because of their race, or their sexuality. This movie also encourages people to be themselves and not pursue a false identity.

This movie is a masterpiece but has barely any action. If you are a simple person and want to be entertained and thrilled don't bother. But if you are sophisticated and enjoy movies that make you think than this is a perfect movie. Constant language sexual activity and brief violence throughout.

Moonlight tackles themes like homosexuality, coming of age, and dysfunctional families in a realistic and respectful way. The characters are flawed but still strong role models who make the best of their not-so-great lives. All the actors, even the child actors, turn in strong performances. The last third of the movie is especially emotionally intense. The film isn't perfect but it should give you and your mature kids a lot to think about and discuss.

I loved the movie-- I saw it with my 14 and 16 year old sons. I believe the film beautifully portrayed mature themes in ways that allowed me to start meaningful conversations with my sons about drugs, sex, and sexuality. Though it seems mature from a distance, unpacking the content of the themes can provide a valuable experience for your family. As for the film itself, I thought it was well directed and worthwhile.