Moonlight Mile (2002)

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Moonlight Mile is a film written and directed by Brad Silberling. This film was loosely inspired by his own personal experience after the time that actress Rebecca Schaeffer,whom he was dating, was killed by an obsessed fan.The film has a great cast in Jake Gyllenhaal,Dustin Hoffman Susan Sarandon,Holly Hunter and Ellen Pompeo,who appears on a screen debut in this movie.The movie's story starts after the murder of Diana Floss in a restaurant robbery. Her fiancé Joe Nast elects to stay with her parents. Her father Ben Floss is a realtor whose partner has recently left. Ben and Joe go into business as Floss & Son, as this was their plan before Diana's death. Joe goes to the post office to retrieve all the invitations that had been sent out for his and Diana's wedding, and with the help of Bertie Knox he retrieves seventy four of seventy five. She finds the last invitation and takes it to his house later that night. He drops her off at a local bar, and returns home, despite her inviting him in for a drink. Joe and Ben attend a local property fair, and Ben pitches the idea of redeveloping a block in the town to developer Mike Mulcahey Diana's friends come round to look through her possessions, much to the consternation of her mother Jojo (Susan Sarandon). They then take Joe out for a drink at the same bar Bertie went into the previous night. Feeling trapped at the Floss home, Joe goes to see Bertie and they sleep together. Ben is frustrated at the lack of progress and goes to the bar to see the owner,where he meets Bertie and tells her about Diana. Bertie finds Joe and confronts him; he confesses to her that he had split up with Diana three days before she was killed. Joe goes to dinner at the Mulcahey's, where Mike's wife rudely presumes aloud that she thought Joe was not still tied up with thoughts of his fiancée's murder. Joe states that this is not the case, completely upsetting the mood at the dinner table. This causes Mike to call Ben and call off the deal. The family attends the trial of Diana's murderer. However the murderer's wife elicits sympathy from the jury, and the prosecutor, Mona Camp,asks Joe to testify and help the jury gain sympathy for Diana. While on the witness stand, Joe confesses that he and Diana had split and that they remained friends but were no longer getting married. Ben and Jojo are happy with the confession and gain closure. Joe symbolically writes 75 letters expressing his newfound clarity about what course his life ought to take and places them in mailboxes around town, hoping that one will get to Bertie.The movie is a touching film.Although it had some boring moments in the middle part,the movie tells a story about about livable compromises and the doubt and panic that linger once life's plans scatter and persist. Moreover, it's about the hardship of survivors honoring someone from whom they're best off moving on.Moreover,it also tells a tale of a person trying to find his place in the world.The performances of Jake Gyllenhaal,Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon were good.There is nothing more that one can ask for.While it was surprising that Ellen Pompeo did great and have stolen some scenes as Bertie.She definitely has good acting talent.Overall,it is one gem of a movie.

MOONLIGHT MILE boasts one of the finest scripts written for a film. Written and directed by Brad Silberling ('10 Items or Less') this little film is so genuine and beautifully crafted and acted that it seems odd that it has not become a cult classic in the art film houses. The story melds tragedy with comic relief in such a successful way that it is truly a slice of life we all have or will encounter. And offering a tough situation as played out by four characters in the end gives us all a sense of balance: bad things happen and pass and what is important is that we each 'find our home', our stable survival place. The film opens in a small town somewhere in the early part of the 1970s, the Vietnam war still a cloud that casts shadows on everyone. Jojo and Ben Floss (Susan Sarandon and Dustin Hoffman) are preparing to wade through the uncomfortable aspects of their daughter Diana's funeral: Diana was accidentally killed in a café when an unknown man attempted to murder his wife over a family dispute. Diana was to be married to Joe Nast (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Joe is in town for the wedding preparations and to reluctantly begin as Ben's partner in selling commercial real estate. In what could be a morbid atmosphere Jojo vents her just under the surface aggressions about how two-faced people are about mourning and funerals and burials. Somehow Jojo, Ben and Joe survive the day and Joe seems to be providing the stabilizing force by standing by his would-have-been parents-in-law. The three of them meet with lawyer Mona (Holly Hunter) to prepare for the trial of the murderer, facing the fact that if convicted the murderer could face the death penalty and the judge would be asking the family for their input on that decision. Joe seeks distance from the situation, meets a pretty postal clerk Bertie (Ellen Pompeo) while attempting to prevent the wedding invitations to go out in the email: later Joe discovers the Bertie waits tables at Cal's Bar and Grill at night, a gesture of devotion to the owner/boyfriend Cal who has been missing for three years in Vietnam. The song 'Moonlight mile' connects the two needy people and they head toward a lighthearted but anxious mutual feeling of companionship. Meanwhile, Jojo has been unable to continue as a writer since Diana's death, Ben buries his emotions about losing his only child by concentrating on the new 'Floss & Son' realty company, and the couple argues about life in general and all but adopts Joe as their only compensation for the loss of their daughter. Joe holds a secret: he broke off his engagement with Diana before the wedding - a fact that has many permutations to the actual incident in the café and the manner in which he feels Ben and Jojo will react to him. How this revelation comes to light in the courtroom makes a unique impact on all concerned and Joe's steadfast truthfulness actually mends the lives of the Floss family and his own perception of his future. Silberling's script tackles many issues and does so with genuine pathos and compassion, creating wholly believable characters that are gratefully fleshed out by this extraordinary cast. Susan Sarandon once again proves why she is one of our finest actresses on the screen today, while Gyllenhaal and Hoffman and Pompeo and Hunter match her every move. The power of this film comes in the quiet moments, moments when we are reminded what makes relationships work, how we all need to find that special harbor we call home. An amazingly fine film! Grady Harp

I worked at a Blockbuster so I had the opportunity to watch movies that I normally wouldn't watch due to not wanting to waste money. When I started watching Moonlight Mile I was already hooked on Jake Gyllenhaul and this movie just added to my admiration of his acting ability along with his amazing sex appeal. I am sure everyone knows about him now because of all the movies he has been in since. I just hope everyone takes the time to watch this one as well. One of my favorite romantic scenes ever(!) is when Jack and Ellen Pompeo are in the bar by the jukebox. OH MY GOSH! (Speaking of Ellen Pompeo, I will brag again to tell you that now most people know her from Gray's Anatomy but I was such a fan after watching this movie. Check it out!

"Moonlight Mile" is one of the most beautiful films ever to be made. Highlighted by phenomenal performances by Hoffman, Sarandon and Hunter, the film is truly inspiring, despite some overly-sentimental moments.Brad Silberling has created an amazing piece of film. The story starts out quite shakily, but manages to quickly find its feet and, thus, saves itself from being another overly-indulgent, kitchy movie. Some might battle with "Moonlight Mile"'s pace, as the film takes its time in developing its characters. However, the film is character-driven and these developments are fundamental to the film's progression.Holly Hunter's performance is Oscar worthy, even though her role is quite small. Judi Dench won an Oscar for her 8 minute performance in "Shakespeare in love" and I see no reason why Hunter should not have been nominated. Amongst a cast of film legends, Jake Gyllenhaal holds his ground. It is obvious that he has had less experience in the acting field, but his performance is still great. Gyllenhaal's climatic monologue near the end of the film will give you goosebumps. It is the best part of the film and in my opinion one of the best scenes in cinema history.In a film about one of the most life-changing, traumatic experiences one can endure, subtlety rules. Little things drive the film and the characters in the film begin to appreciate the smaller things in life. And that's what makes the film so beautiful and so real. The subtlety of the comedy and romance is what makes the drama that much more bearable - which brings us back to the films central theme: coming to terms with loss and trying to move on from it. These beautiful little moments are what make the film.One might have mistaken "Moonlight Mile" for a Cameron Crowe film as music plays a vital part. The film's music is as evocative as the action on screen and the film's epic moments are emphasised by the films perfectly fitted music.This film has been overlooked and underrated, and should have received more credit. Silberling has crafted an outstanding piece of cinema, which is rich with emotion and evocatively inspiring. Some cynics may find the film too sentimental and will claim they predicted the entire movie, but if one is able to ignore the odd mushy moment (there's one or two), "Moonlight Mile" is a cinematic triumph. Treat yourself to this amazing film!