September 6, 2009: Moonlight Mile
I was particularly struck by Moonlight Mile when I saw it in the theatre in 2002. Jake Gyllenhaal was in the middle of a burst of widely varied and strong but quirky parts, Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon found meaty roles which allowed them to act their ages, and relative newcomer Ellen Pompeo demonstrated the talent that leads to the choice between a struggling film career and easy money on network TV (she chose Door Number 2 and went on to become a key player in Grey’s Anatomy). This story, of a family awkwardly brought together and subsequently ripped apart in the aftermath of a tragic death, explores the intermingling of grief with social conventions, and how so much of what we do is driven by trying to be polite to other people, and figuring out just how far we need to go.
Yet again I did not sit down and watch this movie from start to finish. It holds a place on my shelf for the reason that I can revisit some or all of it at my leisure. Set in the early 1970s, the set design is fascinating and it looks really nice. I had forgotten about a small role by Dabney Coleman, an actor whose range is admittedly limited but not quite so severely as his iconic turn in 9 to 5 (1980) has perhaps led many to believe. The acting is solid all around, but Sarandon really brings it home with her portrayal of a grieving mother who is just on the edge of losing control, balancing her knowledge of the truth under the surface with an unwillingness to really let loose and tear things open. The core idea behind the story really is one that is worth exploring, and there are myriad ways it could play out depending on the individuals involved and how they react to stress and grief. Moonlight Mile isn’t in masterpiece territory by any means, but it’s a solid drama with a strong cast pushing it forward.
Low-key drama shows how it’s done.
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