Moonlight Mile Reviews

Really a great movie in every respect. A very distinct visual style, unique story and an a perfect cast. The 70s atmosphere somehow fits perfectly into the plot, maybe because Jake Gyllenhaal's character emulates the generation almost exactly. The sense of loss is done well, it's not like every other movie where someone dies. This shows the true awkwardness that comes along with a funeral service, false attachment and mixed emotions. Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon play pretty different characters than they're used to, there's a very weak and childish way in how they act. This is a movie that is very particular in its message and it succeeds completely. It becomes such a powerful experience by the end.

Heartbreaking, but beautiful. The film was honest and real and really pulls you in at the heartstrings. I liked it... Great cast, great music, and great story.

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Susan Sarandon, Ellen Pompeo, Holly Hunter, Dabney Coleman, Aleksia Landeau, Careena Melia, Mary Ellen Trainor, Lev Friedman, Bob Clendenin, Jim Fyfe, Richard Fancy, Marcia Mitzman Gaven, Allan Corduner

Directed by: Brad Silberling

Summary: Susan Sarandon and Dustin Hoffman co-star as the grieving mother and father of a recently deceased girl who take in their daughter's fiancé (Jake Gyllenhaal) because he's the only living connection they have to their only child. Problems arise when the young man falls in love with a woman (Ellen Pompeo) whose boyfriend has gone missing, prompting his former in-laws-to-be to come to grips with the new relationship.

My Thoughts: "The story pulled me in almost instantly. Great job by Gyllenhaal. His court room scene was very emotional. Sarandon and Hoffman both have their tear-jerker moments as well. Sarandon has this scene where she's sitting on her daughter's bed drinking as Gyllenhaal is climbing through the window, and she just breaks down and its just really sad. She's such an amazing actress. She always makes her characters feel real. Never seen Ellen Pompeo play such a big part in a film. I thought she was great in this. Just really good acting in this film. Although this is an emotional film, there is also quite of bit of humor throughout the film. The relationships between the three leads are honest, and realistic. This film has a great script with a great cast. Also the music in the movie is pretty great as well. Just a sad, honest, real, emotional, and funny film."

"In life and love, expect the unexpected."

As he copes with the death of his fiancee along with her parents, a young man must figure out what he wants out of life.

REVIEW
Strong acted and character driven drama about the aftermath of a family's sudden and violent loss of their beloved adult daughter and the bonding between them and her fiancé (Gyllenhaal effectively conveying awkward grievance) in a small New England hamlet circa 1973. Before starring in a hit drama medical show, Ellen Pompeo gives a nicely nuanced performance as a potential love interest/soul mate-in-waiting he meets. Hoffman and Sarandon are especially effective in their muted emotions that frequently spring freely into painful turmoil. Written and directed by Brad Silberling loosely based on his own true-life account in the tragic murder of his fiancée actress Rebecca Schaeffer.

A movie that is not great but I liked anyway. Good cast.

Great cast, slightly weak story.

[font=Century Gothic]"Moonlight Mile" starts out on the day of the funeral for Diana, fiancee to Joe Nast(Jake Gyllenhaal) and daughter to Jojo(Susan Sarandon) and Ben Floss(Dustin Hoffman). Diana was shot and killed by a man while waiting for her father in a restaurant. Joe is now living with his would-be in-laws as he prepares to become a partner in Joe's commercial real estate business.[/font]
[font=Century Gothic][/font]
[font=Century Gothic]I did not realize at first that "Moonlight Mile" was set in the early 1970's which got me thinking about how cliche-free it is. It perfectly balances pathos with humor in showing the awkwardness surrounding the funeral and mourning of a loved one. (And despite it also being about the violent death of a grown child, it puts the unconscionable and incompetently made "In the Bedroom" to shame.) There is a perfect use of period music. The movie is well-filmed, often in natural light. And nobody can do awkward as well as Jake Gyllenhaal. This is the best role that Susan Sarandon has had in the past decade. Even with this great cast, Ellen Pompeo nearly runs off with the movie playing a winsome postmistress. [/font]

In "Moonlight Mile" a middle aged couple (Dustin Hoffman as Ben and Susan Sarandon as Jo Jo), along with their prospective son-in-law Joe (Jake Gyllenhaal) attempt to come to terms with the sudden, senseless murder of their daughter Diane who was killed in a domestic dispute between two other people just three days before her wedding.

Unbeknownst to Ben and Jo Jo, Joe and Diana had broken up, but Ben is so determined to keep him a part of the family that Joe feels compelled to stay. He decides to remain in town living with her parents to help them deal with their shock and grief. They also have to deal with the murder trial of the gunman, whose wife and his intended target awakens from her coma just as the trial is about to start.

Joe struggles to move beyond the emotional and material expectations which his broken engagement has left him to fulfill, trying not to disappoint his would-be in-laws while at the same time wanting to embark on a new life and a new relationship with a woman he has recently met. Ellen Pompeo is also wonderful as Bertie, the mail clerk and part-time waitress who is no stranger to tragedy losing her own boyfriend as well. Her uncertainty about her future provides Joe some insight into his own psyche.

Holly Hunter's plays the tough, single-minded prosecutor prosecuting the man who is responsible for Diane's death who needs Joe's help to bring Diane's murderer to justice.

Quite possibly one my favourite movies (yes, really); it portrays grief and guilt realistically and is poignant without being sentimental (aside from a just-about-forgivable courtroom scene towards the end). Gyllenhaal gives a performance that surely would have had directors speed-dialling his agent, had the movie been the box-office success it deserved. Five stars.

This movie seems like a major buzzkill but it's still really awesome and has a lot of humor.

Good performances, but still missing something.

Beautiful!

The portrayal of grief is compellingly realistic. Unfortunately I found the timing of the script to be somewhat slow in some places and then too fast in others. Overall a pretty great movie with excellent performances.

Stellar performances all-around, though I still find Jake Gyllenhaal off-putting. I suppose it fits in this movie, so I'll let it slide. The religious imagery is a bit overdone, but I like the way this movie deals with the psychological factor of overcoming tragedy. Plus, Susan Sarandon's character is just so fascinating (at least, to me.) Pompeo really shines here, too.

Jake and Ellen - what a great pairing. I love these actors, and they are joined with an awesome ensemble cast, including Susan Sarandon and Dustin Hoffman. The characters are believable as they depict a story of grief, guilt, and figuring out life and their place in it. It's so far removed from a fairy tale that it makes loving it so much more beautiful. The real-ness, the honesty, the emotion - it makes a great film. Not to mention, I think the soundtrack is phenomenal, too.

did not understand why this movie was even made but it goes to show my Jake Gyllenhaal will forever be aa B-lister

I hate giving a Susan Sarandon film a low score but this really was not good. The attire movie was blah. None of the characters had any personality. If I were friends with this people, I would be sucked into the black abyss of annoyingly boring/downer lives. Yes, I know... There daughter died, blah blah blah. At least make some characters that have substance.

This was a good flick. The cast was great, as expected. And the story was quite original. There were alot of creative shots and scenes too. I'd recommend it.

I'm only sorry I did not see this film earlier. It is extraoridinary. The way the film was shot was breathtaking in itself, but then you have the amazing acting from Dustin Hoffman, Susa Sarandon, and Jake Gylanhaal, mixed with a wonderful storyline and soundtrack...this film was breathtaking.