Wes Anderson's best film yet.

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2012)

In his seventh full-length feature film, Wes Anderson proves that it's time he should be taken seriously. And why not? With films like "Rushmore","The Royal Tenenbaums" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox" to his credit, and now "Moonrise Kingdom", Anderson is very much responsible for giving us some of the best times we've had at the cinema in years. And now, the delightful "Moonrise Kingdom" is the latest addition to his impressive list of works.
Set on a fictional New England island called New Penzance, the film follows the story of a pair of 12-year old lovers : Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman), an orphan and a member of the Khaki Scout Camp and Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward), the quiet, troubled daughter of two lawyers Mr. and Mrs. Bishop (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand). Both first meet at a church concert in 1964 and remain pen-pals for a year before running away together. In their letters, they meticulously plan their escape and share ideas about where they can go. Their eventual escape sends everyone in a frenzy because no one seems to know what to make of it. When Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) and Scout Master Randy Ward (Edward Norton) form a local search party to look for the two, they get caught and the events that transpired changes the lives of all the people who were involved in some way or the other.
"Moonrise Kingdom" benefits from impeccable scripting and those wonderfully structured sentences which feel like music to the ears. The humor is quick and frequent and the conversations between the characters sound authentic. The screenplay, written by Anderson and Roman Coppola, is a marvel and is bound to fetch them an Oscar nomination. Anderson makes wonderful use of pop music, often using it to stress upon a poignant or cheerful moment in the film. The storytelling style is exemplary. Anderson uses the techniques of flashbacks, split-screen and breaking the fourth wall to introduce the viewers to the exotic locales of the town and to give each of the characters a separate identity.
This is also one of those few films that contains miraculous performances from the entire cast, even those who have very small roles in the film. The standout though is Bruce Willis, who gives one of the best performances of his career. Shedding his action star image, Willis plays a lonely, concerned police captain with aplomb, stealing every scene he's in. The two lead actors, Gilman and Hayward, are sublime, each turning in a convincing performance. Cinematographer Robert Yeoman effectively captures the 60s atmosphere, thus adding the finishing touch to this sublime film.
The long, quirky climax is a bit of a letdown, partly because the idea it uses is too mature for the two protagonists and partly because it makes use of an age-old cliché which is found in many romantic dramas.
"Moonrise Kingdom" has the poignant undertone found in most of Wes Anderson's films but with it comes the irresistible deadpan humor and depth. Anderson directs it with quiet confidence and maturity. It may not be a great film but it's one with a real knack for storytelling. Give it a shot.