The Light of the Moon

Writer-director Jessica M. Thompson's gaze is both compassionate and unflinching-- a remarkable feat-- as she directs Stephanie Beatriz in a truly remarkable performance. The film tackles an unfortunately necessary topic at a necessary time. We need this movie and more filmmakers with Thompson's clear-eyed voice. Long takes and a naturalistic approach make her direction standout as well.

This was one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. Had no real expectations going into it, and was pretty floored by how authentic the whole film is. The film deals with a very common, painful scenario and it's one of the best films I have seen to deal with it in such a genuine, realistic way. The writing and dialogue is incredibly natural, and the film is helped by having two very strong, raw performances at its core. I had only seen Stephanie Beatriz in the always great, always consistent show Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and here she gives a powerhouse of a dramatic performance. She's heartbreaking. Also powerful is Michael Stahl-David, who's equally as great at Beatriz in perfectly delivering the material in such an honest way. I strongly recommend this to anyone who hasn't seen it. Strong writing and acting make this a must-see.

Light of the Moon is a unique film, approaching the subject of rape in a sobering, relatable way. The movie begins with a stylish architect who goes out for a typical Brooklyn-night-out with friends and is assaulted on her walk home. What's remarkable and most disturbing about this movie is how it pragmatic it presents the awful crime of rape. The residual events are rational and never over dramatic as the story follows Bonnie's psychology and that of her boyfriend's through the weeks the couple attempts at resolving the incident, sometimes through awkward moments, and sometimes through tearful fights. After all, the world continues to turn around Bonnie despite what happened to her. The dialogues are visceral as we understand the feelings of Bonnie as she accuses those around her for treating her like a victim, while simultaneously we empathize with her boyfriend and his point of view. This is an eye opening film.

This is a very moving film about a woman who survives a sexual assault, but almost doesn't survive the emotional aftermath when she chooses to keep silent about the experience. Before you worry that it is a "feel bad" movie, I assure you it is anything but. This is a drama, but the lead actress Stephanie Beatriz brings her comedic charm into the role, making her character that much more appealing. Truthfully, Stephanie Beatriz is so incredible in this film, I just don't know who else could've made the writing and her character pop the same way she did. This is a film about relationships, about the reality of sexual assault, about living in New York City, and about one woman's attempt to cope. I highly recommend it!

This felt more like an after school special in some ways than a movie. The acting was horrible or maybe it was the dialogue or maybe it was both. It does treat the topic in a way that I haven't seen in other movies.