Unveiling Intimacy Through Structure
“Moonlight,” directed by Barry Jenkins and based on Tarell Alvin McCraney’s unproduced play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, is an exemplary indie film that uses its narrative structure to deeply explore and unveil the intimate growth of its protagonist, Chiron. The film is segmented into three distinct acts, each titled after the name or nickname of Chiron at different stages of his life: “Little,” “Chiron,” and “Black.” This tripartite structure is not merely a stylistic choice but serves as a profound method to explore the nuances of identity, sexuality, and emotional maturation against the backdrop of a harsh, unforgiving social environment.
In the first act, “Little,” we meet Chiron as a young boy living in a tough Miami neighborhood. The screenplay introduces him as a quiet child, grappling with his mother’s drug addiction and the cruel bullying of his peers who sense his difference without understanding it. This section of the film sets the foundation for Chiron’s character, revealing his vulnerabilities and the formative influences on his young life. It’s in this stage that the screenplay utilizes minimal dialogue, allowing the audience to perceive the world through Chiron’s eyes. The interactions are poignant, and the silence speaks louder than words, highlighting his isolation and the tender yet complex relationship with Juan, a local drug dealer who becomes a father figure. This dynamic is crucial as it introduces a theme central to the entire film: the search for male role models and guidance in a world where traditional masculinity is often toxically portrayed.
Transitioning to the second act, “Chiron,” we delve into Chiron’s teenage years, which are marked by increased turmoil. Here, the screenplay sharpens its focus on Chiron’s struggles with his sexual identity and his mother’s escalating drug problem. This segment magnifies the internal and external conflicts introduced in “Little.” The dialogue, sparse yet heavier with meaning, mirrors Chiron’s internal conflict and his difficulty in expressing himself amidst the bullying and his dawning sexual identity crisis. A pivotal scene at the beach with his friend Kevin encapsulates the entire act’s tone: it’s vulnerable, revealing, and shrouded in the ambiguity of Chiron’s emotional and physical desires. The screenplay handles these moments with a careful balance of explicitness and restraint, allowing the audience to feel the weight of every glance and touch.
The third and final act, “Black,” shows Chiron as an adult, having adopted a hardened exterior that reflects his childhood tormentor’s demeanor and his late mentor Juan’s drug dealer lifestyle. This segment presents the culmination of Chiron’s journey, exploring the persona he has crafted to survive and the lingering traces of his true self that emerge in moments of quiet or confrontation. The screenplay here is a masterclass in subtext; Chiron’s conversations with his mother and Kevin are layered with years of unspoken pain, longing, and the façade of toughness that Chiron wears like armor. Each line they exchange is loaded with multiple meanings, reflective of their complex histories and the profound impact of their earlier lives on their current selves.
This structure, by splitting Chiron’s story into three distinct chapters, allows the film to explore different facets of his identity in a manner that a more linear narrative might not have accomplished. Each segment builds on the last but allows distinct thematic explorations, encapsulating the evolving challenges and emotional landscapes at specific life stages. The separation into three acts serves not only to highlight the changes in Chiron’s character but also to emphasize the continuity of his inner emotional struggles. This narrative choice effectively demonstrates how the core of a person’s identity can remain constant amidst and despite the external changes.
Moreover, the indie film’s focus on character over plot is evident in how these structural divisions give room for deep character study. We see Chiron’s surroundings and interactions in detailed, focused scenes that might be glossed over in films with a broader scope. This intimate scale is typical of indie films, which often do not have the vast budgets of larger studio projects but instead offer rich, character-driven stories. In “Moonlight,” every scene, every piece of dialogue, and every silence is used to construct a deeply intimate portrayal of a young man’s journey to self-acceptance.
The script’s deep dive into Chiron’s psyche across these three critical stages of his life utilizes a blend of visual storytelling and restrained dialogue that indie films often employ effectively. These techniques ensure that the audience is not merely a passive observer but an empathetic participant in Chiron’s struggles and triumphs. The structure of “Moonlight” is thus not just a narrative choice but a necessary framework that supports the film’s intimate exploration of its themes and characters, showcasing the unique power of indie filmmaking in portraying nuanced human experiences. Through its thoughtful structure, “Moonlight” teaches us that the journey to understanding one’s identity can be fragmented and nonlinear, much like the chapters of Chiron’s life, each revealing layers of meaning that culminate in a poignant understanding of self.
Character Depth and Minimalism
“Moonlight” exemplifies the strength of minimalist screenwriting in indie filmmaking, where the depth of character and setting take precedence over elaborate plot structures. This screenplay, penned by Barry Jenkins from a story by Tarell Alvin McCraney, employs a stark, stripped-down narrative approach that magnifies the emotional landscape of its protagonist, Chiron, throughout his journey from childhood to adulthood. In indie films like “Moonlight,” the focus often shifts away from traditional action-driven storytelling to a more introspective exploration of character, which in turn allows the film to delve deeply into potent themes like identity, masculinity, and emotional vulnerability.
The minimalism in “Moonlight” is evident not only in its narrative structure but also in its setting and character interactions. Set primarily in a single neighborhood of Miami, the film uses this confined geographical space to its advantage, creating a world that feels both expansive and intensely personal. Each setting within the neighborhood — whether Juan’s home, the schoolyard, or the beach — serves as a backdrop against which significant moments of Chiron’s life unfold. These environments, while minimalist, are imbued with emotional significance that supports the film’s exploration of Chiron’s evolving identity against the societal pressures and personal battles he faces.
Character interactions in “Moonlight” are often depicted with sparse dialogue. Jenkins’s script focuses instead on the weight of unsaid words, using prolonged silences, meaningful looks, and the subtle interplay of body language to communicate what words cannot. This minimalist dialogue underscores the characters’ internal struggles and heightens the emotional intensity of their interactions. For example, in the scenes between Chiron and his mother, Paula, the tension and distance between them are palpable, communicated through terse exchanges and fraught silences that reveal their fractured relationship. Paula’s sporadic harshness and moments of vulnerability starkly outline the impacts of addiction and neglect, shedding light on the complexities of her character and her relationship with her son.
One of the most pivotal scenes in the film occurs on a moonlit beach between Chiron and his friend Kevin during their teenage years. This scene is a turning point for Chiron, both in terms of his personal identity and his emotional expression. The minimalist approach here—with the vast, quiet backdrop of the ocean and the night sky—creates a safe space for Chiron to explore his vulnerability. The dialogue, when it comes, is soft and hesitant, yet it conveys deep trust and confusion about their feelings. This moment of intimacy, devoid of the hyper-masculine posturing present in other areas of their lives, highlights the theme of masculinity in crisis. The screenplay allows the scene to breathe, relying on the natural sounds of the waves and the visual poetry of their interaction to enhance the emotional depth.
This minimalism extends to the portrayal of masculinity throughout the film. Chiron’s journey is marked by an ongoing conflict between societal expectations of toughness and his own intrinsic gentleness. The screenplay deftly explores these conflicting identities through scenarios that strip down Chiron’s interactions to their emotional core. For instance, the bullying he endures is not always overtly dramatized; instead, it is the quiet moments afterward, when Chiron reflects on these experiences in solitude, that the screenplay mines deep emotional resonance. The film challenges traditional narratives of masculinity through these minimalist but powerful depictions, encouraging the audience to engage more deeply with Chiron’s internal world.
Moreover, the film’s exploration of vulnerability is most apparent in the scenes where Chiron is left to contend with his mother’s addiction or explore his sexuality. These themes are handled with a sensitivity that requires minimal dialogue, focusing instead on the emotional turbulence that underlies Chiron’s stoic exterior. The script emphasizes small, significant gestures—a touch, a glance, or a walk away—that are laden with meaning, illustrating the profound impact of vulnerability and emotional exposure in Chiron’s life.
Dialogue and Silence: Communicating the Unsaid
In “Moonlight,” dialogue is not merely a tool for narrative progression or exposition but a crafted element that, when used sparingly, reveals deeper truths about the characters and their world. This screenplay, lauded for its eloquent simplicity and emotional depth, masterfully utilizes sparse dialogue and silence to communicate a spectrum of feelings and histories, resonating with the film’s themes of identity, vulnerability, and human connection.
The effectiveness of minimal dialogue in “Moonlight” is evident in its ability to convey complex emotions and situations without explicit explanations. The film’s dialogue does not serve as a crutch for character development but rather as an accentuation of the emotional states that the characters endure. For instance, the conversations between Chiron and Kevin in their youth are filled with unspoken tensions and desires. Their words are brief and often indirect, yet their interactions brim with emotional complexity, suggesting not only their budding feelings but also their struggles with societal norms and personal fears.
Moreover, the strategic use of silence—or moments where dialogue is expected but absent—amplifies the emotional weight of the scenes. These silences are loaded with subtext, making the audience lean in and engage more fully with the characters’ internal dilemmas. A notable example is in the second segment, “Chiron,” where after a hostile encounter at school, Chiron retreats into silence, his quietness serving as a protective shield and a scream for help simultaneously. The lack of dialogue in this sequence shifts the narrative burden onto visual storytelling, relying on Chiron’s expressive face and body language to reveal his turmoil and isolation.
The power of visual storytelling in “Moonlight” extends beyond facial expressions and gestures to include the setting and cinematography, which together play a crucial role in filling the narrative gaps left by sparse dialogue. The color palette, lighting, and camera angles all inform the viewer about the psychological and emotional landscapes of the characters. For example, the use of blue lighting in key scenes not only sets a somber, introspective tone but also symbolically reflects Chiron’s loneliness and sadness. These visual elements, coupled with the deliberate pauses in conversation, create a poetic atmosphere that allows the audience to experience the emotional and thematic depths of the film.
This approach is particularly effective in indie films, where the emphasis is often on character exploration rather than plot-driven narratives. In “Moonlight,” the minimalist dialogue and significant use of silent storytelling compel the audience to perceive more than what is shown or said. This technique encourages viewers to infer and imagine, engaging with the film on a personal and introspective level. It fosters a kind of intimacy that is rare in more commercially structured films, where rapid dialogue and action often leave little room for such reflective engagement.
In the final act, “Black,” the culmination of Chiron’s journey illustrates the maturity of his silence and the significance of his spoken words. His reunion with Kevin is a masterclass in restrained communication, where their dialogue is sparse yet charged with meaning, each phrase and pause laden with years of repressed emotion and longing. The scene at the diner, where Kevin prepares a meal for Chiron, unfolds with minimal conversation, allowing the sounds of the kitchen and the soft soul music playing in the background to enhance the scene’s emotional texture. The simplicity of their interactions, combined with the profound silences, speaks volumes about their shared past and unspoken regrets.
Furthermore, the final moments between Chiron and Kevin showcase the transformation in Chiron’s ability to communicate his vulnerabilities. Here, the screenplay shifts slightly to allow Chiron more dialogue than previously, symbolizing his emotional evolution and the beginning of his healing. Even so, the dialogue remains succinct, relying on the strength of what remains unsaid to convey the depth of their connection and the possibilities of their future.
“Moonlight” thus serves as an exemplary case of how indie films can utilize dialogue and silence not just as narrative tools but as integral components of storytelling that enhance the thematic and emotional resonance of the film. By employing a less-is-more approach to dialogue and emphasizing visual and silent storytelling, “Moonlight” engages audiences in a deeply personal exploration of its characters’ lives, making their stories unforgettable and universally resonant. This method of storytelling, where silence speaks louder than words, is what sets “Moonlight” apart as a poignant narrative achievement in contemporary cinema.
✍️ Whether you’re mastering the art of dialogue, structure, or character development, the power of AI can be a game-changer in your writing journey. My Free Ebook, ‘AI for Authors’ delves into how AI-powered prompts can provide a unique edge to your storytelling process. If you’re intrigued by the prospect of supercharging your fiction skills, download your free copy today and explore new horizons in creative writing.
A.I. in Screen Trade 