---
title: "Moonrise Kingdom"
year: 2012
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/moonrise-kingdom"
fi1m_id: "moonrise-kingdom"
imdb_id: "tt1748122"
tmdb_id: 83666
wikidata_id: "Q217112"
fi1m_score: 82
critics_score: 78
critics_reviews: 17
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:37.059490+00:00"
region: "CL"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Directed by Wes Anderson · 1h 34m · Comedy, Drama, Romance

## Identity

Moonrise Kingdom

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/moonrise-kingdom
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** moonrise-kingdom
- **IMDb ID:** tt1748122
- **TMDB ID:** 83666
- **Wikidata ID:** Q217112
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1748122/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/83666, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q217112

**Fi1m score: 82** · Critics 78 from 17 reviews

*In a sentence:* Running away at twelve seems quite sensible once the adults have had a chance to speak

> Wes Anderson’s runaway romance is funny and tender, with Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward giving its careful staging some welcome awkwardness. We recommend it, despite a busy second half that sometimes pushes the couple aside.

## Synopsis

Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) and Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward) are twelve-year-olds who fall in love and run away together on a New England island in 1965. Their escape into the wild draws the attention of the adults around them, whose own relationships offer little encouragement about growing up. Bruce Willis plays Captain Sharp, Edward Norton is Scout Master Ward, and Bill Murray and Frances McDormand play Mr. and Mrs. Bishop. As the children pursue an adventure of their own, the grown-ups try to bring them back into a community where neither feels at home.

## Review

*Moonrise Kingdom* is a funny, tender romance with a fussy second half. Wes Anderson and co-writer Roman Coppola treat running away as a serious proposal from two children who have not found much reason to stay. Sam Shakusky and Suzy Bishop are twelve, in love and living on a New England island in 1965. The adults have experience on their side, but the film gives us little reason to mistake that for happiness.

Jared Gilman plays Sam and Kara Hayward plays Suzy, and their earnestness is the film’s strongest asset. Neither performance asks us to congratulate the children on being unusually wise. They are awkward, intent on each other and still young enough to believe that leaving might solve things. Gilman and Hayward give their exchanges enough hesitation to keep the romance believable, even within Anderson’s exact arrangements. The comedy lets us recognise how young they are without treating their feelings as a passing inconvenience.

Robert D. Yeoman uses intimate handheld shots of the pair to loosen the careful staging. We were more moved than we expected by these scenes, because the camera stays close enough to make their need for each other’s attention difficult to dismiss. Adam Stockhausen’s production design fills the surrounding sets with detail, and looking at them is a pleasure in itself. Occasionally there is too much to inspect, and we become conscious of admiring the furnishings while the people wait for our attention.

The adults are worth attending to. Bruce Willis gives Captain Sharp a tired gentleness, while Bill Murray makes Mr. Bishop’s disappointment funny and uncomfortable. Frances McDormand plays Mrs. Bishop and Edward Norton is Scout Master Ward, helping populate a community whose grown-ups seem scarcely better equipped for happiness than the children. Willis is particularly valuable in the quieter stretches, where his restraint makes the adults’ loneliness credible. There is enough unhappiness here to make the escape appealing without turning every adult into an obstacle.

Andrew Weisblum’s editing allows room for the pauses that make the deadpan comedy work. Alexandre Desplat’s music gives the adventure an eager forward movement that suits the children’s confidence in it. The difficulty comes when the surrounding activity begins to crowd them out, and the second half grows less focused. At 94 minutes, the film does not need a drastic trim, but a few more stretches spent simply in the young leads’ company would help.

Anderson’s fondness for arranging everybody is the main reservation. Some of the supporting characters seem to get their turn because they have been devised and dressed, and it would be a shame to waste them. The jokes are often good enough to justify the interruption, but not every detour adds to our understanding of Sam and Suzy. Admirers of this intricate style will have an easier time with those passages; we occasionally wanted the film to leave its central couple alone.

Coming-of-age films can be too pleased with what adults know and children have yet to learn. Here, growing older offers no guarantee of better judgement, and the young couple’s hope seems worth protecting. See it for Gilman and Hayward, with some patience for the elaborate arrangements surrounding them.

*Fi1m score 82, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to Moonrise Kingdom, finding tenderness in Wes Anderson’s carefully arranged tale of young love. Praise centres on the young leads, whose sincerity makes the runaway romance convincing amid the elaborate sets and deadpan comedy. The reviews also admire the detailed visual compositions, with many finding that the storybook style strengthens the feeling rather than keeping it at a distance. The contrast between hopeful children and disappointed adults gives the humour a melancholy edge.

Reservations concern how much that style allows the audience to feel, and how well the later stretches hold together. Little White Lies finds the second half occasionally unfocused, while The Telegraph considers the ending messy. The spread is largely favourable rather than sharply divided, but Radio Times finds that Anderson’s mannerisms obstruct the pathos. Sight and Sound offers a milder dissent: the film pleases in the moment without leaving as lasting an impression as his earlier work.

## Straight answers

**Is Moonrise Kingdom worth watching?**

*Moonrise Kingdom* is worth watching, a funny and tender runaway romance we scored 82. Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward give the young couple an awkward earnestness that keeps the film believable within Wes Anderson's careful arrangements. The second half grows busy and sometimes pushes the pair aside, so it suits viewers with some patience for detail and detours.

**How long is Moonrise Kingdom, and what is it rated?**

*Moonrise Kingdom* runs 1h 34m. It is a comedy and drama film.

**Where can I watch Moonrise Kingdom in Chile?**

*Moonrise Kingdom* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from CLF 2.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Moonrise Kingdom, and is it suitable for children?**

*Moonrise Kingdom* is a 12A comedy-drama, not a violent or frightening film. The children's escape draws a good deal of adult unhappiness and some deadpan comedy about it, but our review found nothing to alarm the squeamish. It suits older children and teenagers, particularly those who can sit with a slow, mannered style, though the youngest viewers may find the adults' loneliness rather than the adventure hardest to follow.

**How does Moonrise Kingdom compare to The Spirit of the Beehive?**

*Moonrise Kingdom* is the funnier and warmer of the two, while [*The Spirit of the Beehive*](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive) is the quieter and more unsettling. Anderson fills every frame with jokes and furnishings; Erice lets a child's fascination with Frankenstein sit in long silences that ask for patience. The Anderson is the easier evening, but the Erice is the more affecting film for anyone willing to give it time.

**What should I watch after Moonrise Kingdom?**

After *Moonrise Kingdom*, try [*The Spirit of the Beehive*](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive) (1973, Fi1m 87): A quieter, more unsettling look at childhood imagination and adult silence. Then [*Hunt for the Wilderpeople*](https://film.one/film/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople) (2016, Fi1m 82): A runaway adventure with dry humour and real affection for difficult people.

### Reviews we read (24)

- **Empire**, Nev Pierce (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's warm, beautiful world of first love and second chances, highlighting superb young performances and a sense of hope that makes it charming, daft, bright and joyful. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/moonrise-kingdom-review/)
- **Screen Daily** (85/100, inferred): The critic celebrates the film's enchanting sweetness and deep feeling beneath its controlled surface, singling out its portrayal of intense, idyllic young love. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/moonrise-kingdom/5041840.article)
- **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (85/100, inferred): Anderson's film fuses the true and untrue in a tale of two children fleeing to the wild on a fictional island, redeemed by belonging and love amid adult disconnection. The critic singles out the new strain of tenderness and the moving performances, especially by Bill Murray and Bruce Willis. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2012/06/04/stormy-weather-3)
- **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (4/4/4): The critic praises the film's sincere romanticism and hyper-detailed visual schemes while noting it occasionally loses focus in its second half. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/moonrise-kingdom)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Betsy Sharkey (80/100, inferred): Anderson finds near-perfect balance in this warm, funny fable about kids on the cusp of adolescence, with humanism and surrealism in harmony. The critic praises the magical spell cast by the story of young love and the way small truths emerge in the central relationship. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-xpm-2012-may-25-la-et-moonrise-kingdom-20120525-story.html)
- **The Independent** (80/100, inferred): The critic calls it Anderson's most enjoyable film in a while, a fanciful summer excursion and children's film for arty kids that mixes American frontier spirit with European sensibility through its landscape and soundtrack. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/moonrise-kingdom-wes-anderson-100-mins-12a-7768620.html)
- **Time Out**, Dave Calhoun (4/5): The critic highlights the film's droll, cultured comedy and its smart balance of rarefied world-building with genuine feeling for its young heroes' romance. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/moonrise-kingdom)
- **The Telegraph**, David Gritten (75/100, inferred): The film marks a return for Anderson with young leads as 12-year-olds running away on a New England island in 1965. It is a worthy addition to his canon with deadpan wit and a generous view of human imperfections, though the ending feels messy. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/cannes-film-festival/9269318/Cannes-2012-Moonrise-Kingdom-review.html)
- **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (70/100, inferred): The reviewer takes time to warm to the choreographed quirkiness but finds the young leads engaging once the adventure begins, ultimately viewing the film as a perfect melancholic escape in Anderson's never-never land. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/moonrise-kingdom-review-7788211.html)
- **Sight and Sound**, Nick James (65/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a pleasingly light and crowd-pleasing fantasia that appeals strongly in the moment but lacks lasting resonance compared to Anderson's earlier work. [Read](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/newsandviews/festivals/blog/cannes-2012-05-17-fleeting-pleasures.php)
- **Radio Times**, Stella Papamichael (3/5): The critic notes the film's oddball humour and cerebral coming-of-age elements but finds Anderson's mannered style prevents the pathos from landing emotionally. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-av8ldg/moonrise-kingdom/)
- **Film Comment**, Kristin M. Jones: The critic praises the film's piercing love story at its center and its rapt, spontaneous quality that lends an easy comic rhythm. She singles out the candlelit production of Britten’s opera Noye’s Fludde for its role in the film's magic and emphasis on love, friendship, and imagination. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/review-moonrise-kingdom/)
- **IndieWire**, James Rocchi: The review calls it a tender triumph of design, decor, and rich emotion. It highlights Anderson's signature stylized world as enhancing the heartfelt story of young love. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/cannes-review-wes-andersons-moonrise-kingdom-is-a-tender-triumph-of-design-decor-rich-emotion-110404/)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert: The film creates a magical, self-contained world on a New England island in 1965 where two children run away together for an adventure. Ebert praises its understated gravity, emotional depth, and the way it captures wistfulness and the passage of innocence without irony. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/moonrise-kingdom-2012)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw: Wes Anderson is on form with a charming tale about two unpopular kids who fall in love and run away. The film is a charming, beautifully wrought evocation of young love in a more innocent America, with elegance, formal brilliance and gentle comedy. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/may/24/moonrise-kingdom-review)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy: The critic describes it as a willfully eccentric pubescent love story with meticulous, dollhouse-like detail that will strike many as arch, but notes a stronger emotional undertow than some Anderson films. The bond between the young leads is singled out as strong and bracing amid the artificial style and pursuit plot. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/moonrise-kingdom-324696/)
- **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (Critic's Pick): Wes Anderson delivers a wondrous storybook tale about two 12-year-olds who run away to a remote cove, building their own world amid disappointed adults. The critic highlights the film's beauty, humor, deep melancholia, and how its artifice deepens emotional power. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/25/movies/wes-andersons-moonrise-kingdom-with-bruce-willis.html)
- **The Times**, Kate Muir: Nostalgia-drenched Moonrise Kingdom is very funny and one of Anderson's best for fans, contrasting childish idealism with adult disillusion through great child actors and adult cameos. Sophistication comes from the cinematography and classical score. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/moonrise-kingdom-sh6n0m7fkwv)
- **Eye for Film**, Anne-Katrin Titze (85/100, inferred): The review praises the film's hermetic island universe, child actors' natural charm, and meticulous production design including costumes and sets. It calls it the perfect summer movie for the eternally twelve who like to travel in style. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/moonrise-kingdom-film-review-by-anne-katrin-titze)
- **Den of Geek**, Michael Leader (4/5): The review highlights the film's continuation of Anderson's exploration of childlike whimsy through the runaway romance of two 12-year-olds and finds warmth in the community's rally around the duo. It singles out the contrast between the director's meticulous formal style and the sincerity of young love and small-town life. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/moonrise-kingdom-review/)
- **Digital Spy**, Ben Rawson-Jones (4/5): The critic calls the film an enchanting yet edgy romantic adventure that is visually delightful, frequently funny and consistently touching. He singles out the young leads' naturalistic performances and the intimate handheld camerawork in their scenes for capturing the essence of lonely children. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a383423/moonrise-kingdom-review-an-enchanting-and-edgy-adventure/)
- **/Film**, Germain Lussier (8/10): The review highlights the film's sweet, uncynical tale of young love and innocence as a welcome evolution for Anderson. It notes strong visuals and humor but finds the idealistic nostalgia occasionally at odds with the director's usual style. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/521296/moonrise-kingdom-review-wes-anderson-discovers-innocence-style-sweetness/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Adam Lowes (4/5): The review finds Moonrise Kingdom awash in Anderson's eccentric stylings yet grounded by emotional tenderness. It notes the film as his strongest and most satisfying since The Royal Tenenbaums, though enjoyment depends on tolerance for his whimsy. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/moonrise-kingdom-review/)
- **The Wrap** (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film engaging and deadpan-funny, firmly in Wes Anderson's comfort zone with its quirky style, though it may not win over detractors who find his work precious. It singles out the dry humor, eccentric characters, and visual comedy with inanimate objects for praise, while noting it lags in the third act compared to Fantastic Mr. Fox. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/moonrise-kingdom-review-tweens-find-love-run-wes-andersons-latest-41276/)

## Details

- **Director:** Wes Anderson
- **Director:** Wes Anderson
- **Writer:** Roman Coppola, Wes Anderson
- **Cinematography:** Robert Yeoman
- **Editor:** Andrew Weisblum
- **Music:** Alexandre Desplat
- **Production design:** Adam Stockhausen
- **Costume design:** Kasia Walicka Maimone
- **Producer:** Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Jeremy Dawson
- **Cast:** Jared Gilman as Sam Shakusky; Kara Hayward as Suzy Bishop; Bruce Willis as Captain Sharp; Edward Norton as Scout Master Ward; Bill Murray as Mr. Bishop; Frances McDormand as Mrs. Bishop; Tilda Swinton as Social Services; Jason Schwartzman as Cousin Ben
- **Runtime:** 1h 34m
- **First release (France):** 16 May 2012
- **Genres:** Comedy, Drama, Romance
- **Also in:** [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 2012)
- **Budget:** $16 million
- **Box office:** $68 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBCRe73dZb0

## Where to watch in Chile

- Amazon Prime Video: rent CLF 2.99, hd
- Apple TV: rent CLF 2490.00, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy CLF 5.90, hd
- Apple TV: buy CLF 8490.00, hd

*Checked 2026-09-15.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, FI, FR, GB, IE, IT, JP, KR, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2013: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Little Fugitive* (1953): A child’s escape becomes an adventure observed with patience and affection.
- *Gregory's Girl* (1980): For adolescent longing, awkward conversation and adults who scarcely improve matters.
- *A Little Romance* (1979): Another young couple takes flight while the grown-ups struggle to keep pace.
- *The Spirit of the Beehive* (1973), Fi1m 87: A quieter, more unsettling look at childhood imagination and adult silence. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-spirit-of-the-beehive.md)
- *Hunt for the Wilderpeople* (2016), Fi1m 82: A runaway adventure with dry humour and real affection for difficult people. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/moonrise-kingdom