Jimmy, an elderly gay man suffering from Alzheimer's, decides to die on his own terms, as he is aware that his condition will only worsen with time. This spurs him to host a “FUNeral,” a final get-together with loved ones, meant to play out more like a farewell party to honor the rich, vibrant life he has led. Jimmy is a man of many talents. Apart from being a musician, he also has a deep interest in space, is the founder of a famous soft-toy line named Moonie Babies, and has helped people from numerous walks of life embrace their authentic selves. His guest list includes his caregiver, “death doula” and journalist Andrew, who is covering Jimmy’s story in his first feature, and more. Through flashbacks we learn about Jimmy meeting love of his life during auditions, how he lost him to AIDS and other such events. He also needs to deal with his brother who is now a pastor who dissuades him from doing any such thing. Jimmy's youth and young adulthood never feel out of place and always add to the story.
Moon Manor is an extremely funny film that manages to balance the lighter elements with deep, complex philosophical ruminations. The film is also delightfully psychedelic in parts, especially in the scenes in which Jimmy sees his “intuition” in corporeal form. Although Jimmy is understandably plagued by the permanence of his decision and the prospect of losing so many people who love him deeply, he comes to the realization that life, no matter how entrenched in hardships, has been beautiful for the most part. Being someone who never shied away from embracing his core desires, be it his sexuality or his creative endeavors, Jimmy embraces death with the same meditative tranquility, and the scenes towards the end are positively heartrending. The raw emotionality of Jimmy speaking to his estranged brother, tenderness towards Andrew, asking those around him to exercise stillness to experience momentary peace, and the sheer breadth of his hopes and fears, elevate Moon Manor to the greatest heights, in the best of ways. The filmmakers intersperse home videos of the real Jimmy and Ricky from their performances with the overall story and other glimpses inside Jimmy’s mind. I liked Andrew's character a lot and the empathy that he brings and same with his caretaker lady. The whole 'death doula' was probably a little off for my taste, but whatever. Overall it is a heartfelt and humorous look at life and death, turning death into celebration with every actors doing their part just perfectly. (6/10)
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