Growing up in a rough, disadvantaged neighbourhood proves tough for a gay African American boy in this independent drama set across three stages in his life. Described by some as a film in which nothing happens, 'Moonlight' certainly is not for all tastes; it is more of a mood piece than a narrative and given how introverted the protagonist is, the film is more focused on what is left unsaid in each scene. It is an approach that takes a bit of getting used to, but which generally works. Effective casting is a big plus with all three actors playing the protagonist feeling like one and the same despite changing from one stage of his life to the next. Alex R. Hibbert, who plays the protagonist as a boy, is especially well cast with deep and haunting eyes. He also makes a terrific contrast to the actor who plays him as an adult as the film causes us to ponder how we are all essentially the same person at various stages of our lives with our experiences merely shaping us in different ways. Add in intimate camera-work that intrudes on the characters' personal space, an unusual yet potent music score and accentuated audio effects and this is an oddly compelling movie. The somewhat inconclusive ending initially seems a misstep, but it is hard to think of a more fitting end to this probe into a young man's development in a world where he is a minority no matter how he looks at it.