Few
movies deal with the grieving process in the fashion that Moonlight Mile does.
Writer/director Brad Silberling (City of Angels) is speaking from the heart, and
it's even been suggested that much of this film is based on the director's real
life struggle, coping with the death of fiancee Rebecca Schaeffer (from the television
show My Sister Sam) back in the 80's.
In
Moonlight Mile, the audience isn't subjected to an overdrawn death sequence. No,
this film deals with the intense aftermath, in which the parents of the victim
try to deal with the untimely tragedy while developing a strong bond with their
now deceased daughter's shaken fiancee. What unfolds, is a most unexpected journey
of self discovery that isn't afraid to be humorous, even in such a dark situation.
Dustin
Hoffman turns in one of his best performances in quite sometime as Ben Floss,
a distraught father who tries mighty hard to push forth with his busy life. Susan
Sarandon follows her underdeveloped turn in The Banger Sisters with a return to
form as JoJo Floss. Rather than bottling emotions up, her therapy begins with
simply venting her frustration towards those around her. Jake Gyllenhaal (Donnie
Darko) soars as Joe Nast, the young fiancee. This is a quiet, restrained performance
that, while slightly eccentric, really rings true. Watch for bit performances
by Holly Hunter and Dabney Coleman as well. The key to the success of Moonlight
Mile lies in the subtlety of the acting.
It's
obvious that Silberling is using this project as a form of therapy. I'd be really
interested in knowing how much of this story is autobiographical. The film offers
up plot developments I didn't see coming, most notably a secret kept by Gyllenhall.
Moonlight Mile is also extremely sensitive in ways I wasn't prepared for. There
is a sequence in which the man accused of killing Hoffman and Sarandon's daughter,
is handled in a most unexpected way. Unfortunately, Silberling can't help but
throw in a helping of the heavy handed, including a court room revelation scene
that offsets the film's realism. An unexpected relationship also blossoms, and
while the emotional connection feels real, this story line felt a tad rushed to
me. Still, sincerity conquers all in Moonlight Mile.
With
it's skilled performances, passionate direction, and an honest approach to how
most people deal with the death of a loved one, Brad Silberling and his crew have
fashioned a poetic drama in Moonlight Mile. pic) imdb 6 (dude on bed with beer)
