The always funny and amusing quirky, whimsical Wes Anderson has made some great films, but he's never produced such a beautiful and sweet story until now.

Rating: 10/10 (8 June 2012)

I find Moonrise Kingdom to be the most polished Wes Anderson film to date. While it includes the norms of a Wes Anderson feature – vibrantly colorful cinematography, quirky dialog, spontaneity, Bill Murray – the heart of this movie is unlike anything I've ever seen from him.
It's an adventure tale about two young lovers by the names of Sam and Suzy who in their innocence, decide to run away together, leaving havoc among the adult characters, played by the likes of Bruce Willis, Ed Norton, Francis McDormand, and the aforementioned Bill Murray. The adult character's troublesome lives and inadvertent personalities are confronted in the midst of the chaotic search for the children. In contrast, Sam and Suzy's bond becomes even more intimate as they discuss the troubles and turbulences of youth. However, things are bound to get twisted and soon we're in for a wildly hilarious adventure.
Despite all the great actors featured in the ensemble cast, the most memorable performances come from the two young unknown actors playing Sam and Suzy. They enable the spirits of their characters so well, I can't imagine writers Anderson and Roman Coppola envisioning them to be any better. While I've always found Anderson's troublesome characters to be intriguing, I've never felt the sympathy for them that I felt for Sam and Suzy. As a result, Moonrise Kingdom is the most universal, affective story Wes Anderson has told.
If you had to describe this film in one word, there would be so many options. The obvious ones that come up are witty, whimsical, and clever. Going into the theater though, I did not expect that the film would be so sweet and beautiful. Beautiful in both its imagery and its surprisingly graceful storytelling. With all the hoopla that comes from Anderson's wonderful gimmicks, he still manages to balance style with substance and leave us with more than just a few laughs.