Movie Review: ‘Moonrise Kingdom’

I try to love Wes Anderson. Really. I do. Give me “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” any day, or “Rushmore;” even “The Royal Tenenbaums.” But his latest twee tableau shortchanges story and character development (oy vey – is the point arrested development again?). The retro comedy waves a banner of cleverness, where insight would be more welcome. The whole enterprise reminds me of the shrewd little rodent boxes made by Steve Carell’s character in “Dinner for Schmucks.” Admittedly, the story is slight: twelve-year-old outcasts Sam and Suzy run away from home and camp, respectively, on one of those adventures straight out of the children’s novels Suzy pointedly schleps along. Their disappearance has a Rube Goldberg effect, as the eccentric inhabitants of their small New England island freak out searching for the adolescents in what promises to be “Lord of the Flies” fashion, and becomes an episode of vintage tween Nick. The whole enterprise is elevated by the playful production design …

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