Moonrise Kingdom

Director: Wes Anderson

Cast: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Kara Hayward, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, Harvey Keitel, Jared Gilman

From the prep school of Rushmore to the train travelling through India in The Darjeeling Limited, Anderson specialises in cinema that recalls the literary style of JD Salinger's Catcher in the Rye and the Glass family short stories.

Here we have a story about two 12-year-old star-crossed lovers who live on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965. Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward) meet, fall in love, make a pact and run away together, causing chaos as they are searched for by scout teams, parents and law enforcement.

There's the same awkwardly enjoyable cerebral humour as in previous Anderson films. But there's also emotional warmth to the two central characters that makes this his best film since The Royal Tenenbaums and recalls the pathos of Rushmore.

The young actors are perfectly cast and the stellar studded older cast members are clearly enjoying the opportunity to flex their farce muscles. It's a film that mixes Anderson's love of literature, style and pop-references more successfully than many of his previous outings to create a charming, absorbing adventure tale about children for adults. It's also wryly romantic and nostalgic without being treacle smeared - a rare achievement in a world of cheap shot tearjerkers.

If you've never been an Anderson fan - finding his films to be pretentious and favouring aesthetics over content - then this is the film to convert you. If you're already a fan, then here's another reason to continue being one.

• 'Moonrise Kingdom' opens at cinemas today

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