"Moonlight Mile," featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, Susan Sarandon and Dustin Hoffman, is a film that focuses on a family dealing with death, loss and regret. Minor issues with the plot and the movie's emotional intensity hinder this otherwise poignant and moving film.
The story begins with the killing of Joe's (Gyllenhaal) fiancee, who was also the daughter of Ben and JoJo Floss (Hoffman and Sarandon, respectively). The murder follows the "wrong place at the wrong time" pattern. Therefore, it was a completely sudden and unexpected loss.
Joe moves in with the grieving family and goes into business with Ben, as planned before the murder. Early on in the film, Joe meets Bertie (Ellen Pompeo), who works both at the local post office and bar. An immediate romantic connection flares up between Joe and Bertie, forcing Joe to reevaluate his life and his desires.
Mona Camp (Holly Hunter) serves as the Floss' attorney. She intends to try the case as a capital trial, which would result in the killer's execution. The family, after they realize that the killer will not be persecuted to the full extent of the law, tries to move on with their life and accept the loss of their only daughter.
Over the course of the film, the family experiences highs and lows, resulting in great comedy and dire tragedy. Growth and understanding allow these characters to learn to live life again, with new concepts of love and family.
"Moonlight Mile" is loosely based on director Brad Siberling's experience with celebrity Rebecca Schaeffer. Schaeffer also was murdered, and Siberling established an emotional and valuable bond with the surviving parents.
Gyllenhaal portrays Joe very believably and honestly. The movie forces his character to grieve, console, adjust and eventually fall in love again, all in the course of two hours. During one scene at Bertie's work, he expresses his desire for Bertie flawlessly, but also his hesitation to respect the recent death of his fiancee. He does a great job expressing his loss, both in his emotional life and in the direction of what comes next in his future.
Sarandon's character provides most of the humor in the film. Her witty and sharp dialogue serve as comic relief in this melancholy film, but it also is a way for her to mask her grief. One of the most impressive scenes in the film is when she confronts Joe with her tearful realization that he has moved on with another woman. She realizes that things cannot stay the same forever. Life changes and people must adjust.
Hoffman also brings a sense of realism to his role. Ben struggles with the regret of not being the father that he wanted to be for his daughter. He too, like JoJo, must learn to deal with life and all of its disappointments.
Newcomer Pompeo brings a beautiful presence to the film as Joe's love interest. Bertie also has lost somebody special to her as a result of the Vietnam War, and it is her new relationship with Joe that gives her the courage to embrace life rather than hide from it.
Hunter's role, although small, is strong. Mona Camp's inclusion in the film illustrates the judicial side of loss and death. She wants compensation for the family, but she also wants to provide sympathy and understanding.
All in all, for a movie with depressing stories and themes, I didn't find it too sad and emotional. I think, though, that the film really tried to be. The sad moments, though touching, did not evoke the true emotions and feelings that Siberling probably went through in his own life.
The more emotional scenes often were undermined by some of the outrageous farcical humor in the film. For example, Joe is sent to retrieve all of the unneeded wedding invitations from the post office, which would be a very depressing occurrence; however, the scene becomes comical when Joe's dog gets in a fight with a cat in the office, causing Joe to go flying into the wall.
For me, this film was difficult to review. I appreciated the acting, directing and the story, but for some reason, it didn't all come together.
Last year's "In the Bedroom," which dealt with similar issues, was more effective and powerful with its depiction of loss and grief. "In the Bedroom" successfully portrayed grief with silence and anger rather than with the chatty and expressive dialogue of "Moonlight Mile."
All performances were great, but they weren't excellent. Will they garner Oscar nominations next spring? Probably not. If these characters had been in a more emotional and powerful film, then maybe.
I am, however, giving "Moonlight Mile" a high rating because of its honest and original way of expressing this often cliched and tired subject matter. The acting and directing made the material fresh and believable, but the overall lack of emotional intensity detracts from its excellence.
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