Moonwalk Movie Review: A Heartfelt Tribute to Dance, Friendship, and Michael Jackson

Time of India

4 days ago

Story: Set in the 1980s in Thiruvananthapuram, the film chronicles the life of a group of youngsters learning break dance
Review: Moonwalk is a film that stands out with its theme, performances and simplicity. It can even be called a slice-of-life film, focusing primarily on how dance transforms the lives of a few young men and their families. It also serves as a soulful tribute to Michael Jackson, the entertainer.
A fresh cast adds to the experience and convinces the audience that they are truly witnessing a group of youngsters trying to learn breakdance—something they were inspired to pursue after watching a performance in their locality, a form of dance new and never seen before. The group consists of young men from all walks of life, representing different religions, castes, and financial backgrounds.
Debutant director Vinod AK, who also co-wrote the film, clearly knew what needed to be on screen, without overdoing anything—be it the family moments, nostalgic elements, or the dancing (which, honestly, no one would have minded seeing more of). The novelty of breakdance as an art form at that time is effectively conveyed throughout the story.
The film lingers on the lives of each of these aspiring dancers, and the audience gets to witness many raw, authentic moments within ordinary families. There is no whitewashing. Class differences are evident, even within this friend group that is solely focused on dance and romantic pursuits. We also see how each of these men makes personal style statements, finding ways to dress as they prefer within their means. The film captures how society views people who dress or style themselves differently from what is considered 'normal'—including the police, who harass them under the assumption that they are lawless. All of this is shown with nuance.
The film features several key locations and important colleges in Thiruvananthapuram. Since it's set in an earlier time, the set design and costumes are convincingly done and even evoke nostalgia. While not all character arcs receive closure, Sura's arc does, and it offers a very satisfying conclusion—especially because his struggles will resonate with many, even years later.
Though it's not a dance film through and through, it has enough merit to be considered one. The dance moves don't always pack the punch one might expect, but when they finally take the stage in the latter part of the film, the performances are deeply satisfying. Those scenes are purely about dance, and dance alone. One of the more off-putting aspects, however, is how often the film cuts to the audience during the dance competition—especially to a frankly irrelevant crowd.
Each of the young actors—Anunath, Sujith Prabhakar, Rishi Kainikkara, Siddharth Babu, Manoj Moses R, Sibi Kuttappan, Prem Shankar S, and Appu Ashari—delivers a convincing performance. Prashant Pillai's music further elevates the film.
One gripe with the film is how the local slang was overdone. Some dialogues, particularly during interactions among friends, felt repetitive and served little purpose. People in Trivandrum definitely don't use "Oo" and "Thanne" so frequently in every conversation.