Moonlight by Barry Jenkins is a compelling and emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. In the opening shot of the film, the audience sees Juan, a drug dealer to the mother of main character Little approach another drug dealer. In this scene the audience is exposed to the environment, a poor neighborhood where drug dealing is very common. The interaction between Juan and the drug dealer working for him involves slang, cursing, and the ‘n’ word which portrays the message of having to mask your true emotions to obtain respect. This message is further shown once the main character Little is seen being bullied for being an outcast. The scene shows Little as a vulnerable kid not comfortable in his environment, as he is seen crying and hiding in one of Juan’s drug houses. Juan and Little meet and Juan portrays the father archetype of Little’s childhood as Juan takes him out to eat, teaches him how to swim, and allows him to stay in his home. The audience notices through Juan and Little’s relationship, that Juan isn’t a bad man. Juan has emotions just like Little, and this allows for the audience to develop a deeper connection with Juan and Little. The film progresses and stage two is presented. Little now goes by the name Chiron and is seen as a teenager in High School. The way Chiron carries himself in terms of body posture, facial expressions and speech is a continuation of his discomfort in his environment. We see that he is not physically and emotionally safe in his house or school as his mother poses a threat to him in his home, and the bullies pose a threat to him in his school. In this stage, there is a pivotal moment set in the scene where Chiron is with Kevin on the beach. The beach is a symbol of freedom for Chiron, since the beach is a place of comfort and happiness. This sets the interaction between Chiron and Kevin where they both let down their barriers and open up to each other about their emotions. This leads to an intimate moment, which is a complete liberation for Chiron as he doesn’t have to hide his emotions. Jenkins’ message of masking your emotions is challenged through the portrayals of Chiron’s and Juan’s characters.