Moonrise KIngdom

“Moonrise Kingdom” is a 94 minute film that is about 94 minutes too long. It stars, believe it or not, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand Harvey Keitel and Bob Balaban with 2 teenage actors, Kara Hayward and Jared Gilman. How could such a cast not produce a winning or at least a mediocre film is a question only director Wes Anderson  who co-wrote the film with Roman Coppola, can answer, if indeed there is one. The film is more like a cartoon with live actors and like most cartoons, is two dimensional and without substance. Paraphrasing the old Smucker commercial, with a name like Coppola, ti doesn’t have to be good. Roman is Francis Ford Coppola’s son and the difference between the two shoots the gene theory full of holes. More than that, the film, rated PG, contains scenes between the two young teenage stars that, to put in the kindest phraseology, are most inappropriate. I must confess that my view of the film is totally out of sync with some pretty reputable and respected publications including the Wall St. Journal, the New York Timss, et. al. who really loved it.. There is no middle ground for this movie. You will either love ir or dislike it. My guess is the latter. I give the film 2 stars and regret not having stayed at home to watch whatever was on the TV schedule that night.