Moonrise Kingdom
2012, Comedy/Drama, 1h 34m
266 Reviews 100,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
Warm, whimsical, and poignant, the immaculately framed and beautifully acted Moonrise Kingdom presents writer/director Wes Anderson at his idiosyncratic best. Read critic reviews
You might also like

Saving Mr. Banks

The Theory of Everything

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Les Misérables

The Grand Budapest Hotel
Where to watch
Moonrise Kingdom Videos
Moonrise Kingdom Photos
Movie Info
The year is 1965, and the residents of New Penzance, an island off the coast of New England, inhabit a community that seems untouched by some of the bad things going on in the rest of the world. Twelve-year-olds Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward) have fallen in love and decide to run away. But a violent storm is approaching the island, forcing a group of quirky adults (Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray) to mobilize a search party and find the youths before calamity strikes.
Cast & Crew
Bruce Willis
Captain Sharp
Captain Sharp
Ed Norton
Scout Master Ward
Scout Master Ward
Bill Murray
Mr. Bishop
Mr. Bishop
Frances McDormand
Mrs. Bishop
Mrs. Bishop
Tilda Swinton
Social Services
Social Services
Jared Gilman
Sam
Sam
Critic Reviews for Moonrise Kingdom
Audience Reviews for Moonrise Kingdom
-
Aug 15, 2017Moonrise Kingdom is a sweet heartwarming coming-of-age comedic drama that showcases some great talent. That talent mostly being Wes Anderson who has crafted an authentic drama with some contemporary flavours. His direction is so quirky that it's hard not to fall in love with it. The centralisation of characters and objects with the camera, the still shots of the excellent production design, the side track panning as characters walk along and a nice 360 degree scene within a house. The stages built for those scenes just ooze design excellence and I have to admire the simplicity. We follow two 12 year olds who fall in love and plan to run away, but various authorities attempt to track them down. It's a basic plot but the animated characters and young performances help reinvigorate this exhausted genre. Our typical Anderson cast (Norton, Swinton, Keitel, Murray etc.) are all here again and give great performances. The awkward yet loving chemistry between our two young leads was moulded with care and tenderness that I found somewhat relatable. I'm sure back in our youth we all fell in love with a crush and wanted to run away from everyone...no? Just me then. Again, the production design was genius. I love how it purposefully look like it's built for a stage show as opposed to a cinematic piece, there is something so idiosyncratic about Anderson's choice of style that just makes it wonderful. Whilst all the above is all plain sailing, my major issue was with the narrative. I found myself somewhat disengaged until about halfway through. Right from the start, you are thrown in straight away with about 47 characters (completely accurate...) and a geography lesson of the island. Honestly I needed to get a notebook out. It was intimidating! Like an onslaught of quirkiness. It took so long for me to catch up and become invested that the short runtime of 94 minutes was nearly over. It's a shame, wish it was longer so that the plot development could take its time. However, it's a sweet film and Anderson's style is impeccable.Luke A Super Reviewer
-
Jan 15, 2017Charming and whimsical, herein is a call to separate from the lousy group that treats you badly, and to lovingly embrace yourself. If someone else wants to embrace you: that's even better. Wes Anderson on steroids.Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
-
Sep 21, 2015A fantastically watchable coming of age story, the moon of wonderment never sets in Wes Anderson's fascinating misadventure. Truthfully, this is not the auteur's best work since Rushmore (that would be Royal Tenenbaums and Grand Budapest Hotel), but it hits a lot of the right notes ... especially if you're a fan of this writer/director's life Quixotic. You have to trust his quirky vision by jumping in - not slowly dipping your toes to find the right temperature. This warning seems more the case with this film than any of his others. It's a wondrously whimsical world painstakingly brought to life with specific brushstrokes and amazing performances. In this PG-13-rated 1960s-set dramedy , two young lovers (Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward) make a pact and run away into the wilderness, riling the local townspeople intent on finding them before a violent storm touches down. The fact that Moonrise Kingdom takes place from a kid's eye-view (as opposed to Rushmore, which took place from an eccentric kid-beyond-his-years) makes this Anderson film a unique confection, tender and warm even amidst the storminess. Despite boasting a marquee cast chock full of bona fide movie stars, Bruce Willis, Ed Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton beautifully fall into the fabric of this tale and never once overshadow their young players. Like a seasoned troupe, the actors - young and old - comprise this Kingdom equally. If you're willing to fully bask yourself in Anderson's particular rays of Moon-light, the payoff is worth a king's ransom. Bottom line: Makes Hay While the Moon ShinesJeff B Super Reviewer
-
Mar 07, 2015Very odd, quirky movie. However, after a slow, skeptical start, I found I actually enjoyed it. It wasn't amazing or a movie I'd see over and over, but it was enjoyable enough.Erin C Super Reviewer
Verified