Moon (2009) – Duncan Jones
*HERE BE SPOILERS*
This was the first film this year to blow me away completely, and I look forward to seeing where the directing career of Duncan Jones goes next. Hell, anyone who gets so excited over Flash Gordon that they crack their head open is more than okay with me.
Moon is the tale of one man and his caring robot companion, dealing with the loneliness a three year job in isolation brings, eventually having to face the fact that everything he believes he is has been one huge lie. Sam Rockwell pulls it off superbly. His performance as the various incarnations of Sam Bell only proves to demonstrate the range, ability and subtlety he possesses as an actor.
Duncan Jones has left the CGI and explosions to others with his debut and concentrated on emotional impact, and bloody hell does it work. When the truth begins to dawn on Sam, boy does it hit you. His phone call home is heartbreaking. From a single tear on GERTY’s computerized face to the removal of a derogatory post-it note, Jones has also made the little things matter.
Moon is a perfect piece of science fiction film making for me. As a fan of the late seventies, early eighties classics, I had fun playing spot the influence, and drew an immense level of pleasure from the line “we’re not programmes, GERTY, we’re people” echoing Roy Batty in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, “we’re not computers, Sebastien, we’re physical.” Pure and utter glee.
The fact that I think Rockwell steals almost every film he appears in did sway my leanings for the Sam Rockwell Oscar campaign, but Moon was entirely different from anything I’d seen him in before. A stellar one man show. Jones has been full of praise for the way Rockwell handled the job at hand, completely altering his acting style, and it’s praise well deserved. He may not win an oscar for his portrayal of Sam Bell, especially with names such as Jeff Bridges and George Clooney in the running, but at the very least he should be seriously considered.
I doubt this will be my last post about Moon. I haven’t even touched on the terrific Clint Mansell score, or the bloody cracking opening titles yet. Too much good shit in that little movie my friends…too much.
Darling, now for as much as I did enjoy the Rockwell performance (the man, undoubtedly, puts in a fine performance as the stranded lunar gimp) I do feel that my abiding memory of Moon will be the contribution of Clint Mansell.
Mansell’s film score does not so much work as a counterbalance to Rockwell’s one man show, instead it walks with it hand in hand, layering the film emotionally and subtly setting the tone where other (lesser) films seek obvious actor interaction to do so. The Eno-esque starkness of the sound plays so perfectly with the setting, and enriches the film on every level.
Moon is a perfect example of how low budget movie-making can be far more emotionally fulfilling if placed in the right hands, and credit to Duncan Jones for that.
However, when the time comes for the plaudits and the statues to be handed out, it’s Clint Mansell that gets my vote. Even if he is Nigel’s brother.
Thanks again for reading, Benzine. I really appreciate it.
I like the fact you mention Brian Eno in your description of Clint Mansell’s score. Was the first thing that came to mind when I initially heard it as well.
Spent a lot of the second viewing thinking Eno’s Apollo would work equally well in certain places, mainly because both Mansell and Eno have captured what I imagine a lunar soundscape to be, if that makes sense. Also, both would be perfect listening for those periods of being “off your tits” or “out yer head” as it were.
In all seriousness though, Mansell is more than deserving of awards for his soundtrack work. Was highly disappointed he didn’t make it into BAFTA shortlist.