Brian Formo of '' Collider '' gave '' Moonlight '' an ' A − ' grade rating , applauding the performances and direction but contending that the film " is more personal and important than it is great . " Similarly , Jake Cole of '' Slant Magazine '' praised the acting , but criticized the screenplay , and argued that " so much of the film feels old-hat . " In a review for '' The Verge '' , Tasha Robinson lamented the plot details omitted between the film 's three acts , but wrote that " what does make it to the screen is unforgettable . " While discussing the film after its screening at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival , Justin Chang of the '' Los Angeles Times '' described '' Moonlight '' as " achingly romantic and uncommonly wise , " opining the film to be an early Oscar contender . Chang further wrote : " Barry Jenkins made a film that urges the viewer to look past Chiron 's outward appearance and his superficial signifiers of identity , climbing inside familiar stereotypes in order to quietly dismantle them from within ... '' Moonlight '' does n't say much . It says everything . " Writing for '' The London Review of Books '' in February 2017 , Michael Wood characterized the film as a study of an inherited intergenerational tragedy : Camilla Long of '' The Times '' wrote that the film 's " story has been told countless times , against countless backdrops " , and that the film is not " relevant " to a predominantly " straight , white , middle class " audience . Long was criticized by users on Twitter for the review , and was accused of being homophobic and racist in her writing . Catherine Shoard defended her by pointing out that " critics ' opinions are subjective , and are supposed to be . " However , David McAlmont referred to Long 's review as " not a review ... but a waspish response to other reviews . " '' Moonlight '' was listed on numerous critics ' top ten lists for 2016
Oscar contender
89th Academy Awards
Moonlight (2016 film)