The Man in the Moon

1991 "Remember when you couldn't wait for your life to begin... and then, one day, it did?"
7.3| 1h39m| PG-13| en| More Info
Released: 30 September 1991 Released
Producted By: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

Maureen Trant and her younger sibling Dani share a strong connection, but local boy Court Foster threatens to throw their bond off balance. Dani and Court meet first and have a flirtatious rapport -- but when he meets Maureen, he falls hard and they begin a passionate affair. The new couple try to keep their love hidden from Dani, but she soon learns the truth, disavowing her sister. But a heartbreaking accident later reunites the girls.

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Reviews

Tacticalin An absolute waste of money
Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.
Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.
HotToastyRag If there's any director in Hollywood who deserves a crown for conquering the coming-of-age genre, it's Robert Mulligan, director of To Kill a Mockingbird and Summer of '42. His last film was The Man in the Moon, one of the most revered modern coming-of-age films. It takes place in 1957, during the summer a teenaged Reese Witherspoon's life changes forever.In Reese's first movie, she's a tomboy, but she's still adorable in her transition out of adolescence, and as she's done in almost every other film since, she melts the hearts of the audience. She stomps around in overalls and smacks her gum as if it never occurred to her to care about her appearance, but she's just as cute in those scenes as she is when she finally dolls up and tries to act like a regular teenage girl.Fourteen-year-old Reese is very close to her older sister, Emily Warfield, but clashes at times with her parents, Sam Waterston and Tess Harper, who don't seem to understand her difficult age. When a new family moves in next door, complete with three teenage boys, everything changes. Reese gets to know one of the boys, Jason London, but as time passes, her feelings grow into more than just friendship.There's a lot more to the plot, but I'd rather not spoil anything. Needless to say, there are all the classic elements to a poignant coming-of-age story, including domestic troubles, love triangles, self-discovery, tragedy, and the bonds of family. Just as in classics like My Girl, you're going to need your Kleenexes during this one. It doesn't matter whether you have issues with your dad, mom, sister, or remember a bittersweet time before you grew up, there are several scenes that will inspire tears. Reese has great chemistry with her on screen family, and I guarantee the parents in the audience will identify with Sam Waterston's protectiveness and wisdom.This one isn't for the faint of heart, but if you're in the mood for a good cry this weekend, or if you're craving a nostalgia movie with lots of Elvis Presley songs, rent The Man in the Moon.Kiddy Warning: I'd probably let my kids watch this one, but I just wanted to warn you, because everyone has different tastes, that there are some upsetting scenes and violence involving children.
MovieCriticDave For its first 80 minutes, "The Man in the Moon" plays as a handsome, simply woven tale of family life in rural Louisiana, seen primarily through the eyes of two sisters. For its last 25 minutes, it plays out a pointless consequence of manufactured conflict that takes a potentially great film and disappointingly dispatches it as little more than one-off melodrama and an unsatisfying resolution.Along with Tess Harper as matriarch Abigail, Sam Waterston shows his under-appreciated versatility as Matthew Trant, the stern, hard-working father of Dani, played with extraordinary aplomb by then-newcomer Reese Witherspoon, and her older sister Maureen, played by Emily Warfield. Maureen is looking toward college, while Dani tries hard to convince the world she isn't still a kid at the ripe age of 14. The conflict ensues when the recently widowed friend of Trant's moves into the adjacent farm along with her 17-year-old son, Cort, who catches Dani's eye as her first youthful love. On the one hand, "Moon" draws a nicely articulated tale of 50's era family life, yet interrupts the tale with manufactured interruptions of tragic shadow that seem only to serve the purpose of...interrupting the tale and force the drama, as if the writers don't truly trust the material they've developed. Individually, the performances are authentic and on the mark, even if the story often isn't. Despite the story flaws, "Man in the Moon" is a good work. It's just so frustrating to realize that a truly great work was but a stone's throw away.
alxx0209 I saw this on netflix the other night and i kind of was glad I read about the movie before i watched it so I had an idea what direction the film went in. Its a coming of age film about growing up and love. This movie has little Reese Witherspoon in her first movie role - who does an amazing job as Danni , she was great everything about her ! She fit the part and fit in with the cast wonderfully . So did Jason London as Court it was great seeing them two bond and have feelings for one another. The relationship changes goes up and down throughout the whole film ( this was shown swell ! ) Im not going to spoil what happens but I will say that for me , The movie was sad not were i cried during the movie but just the next day my stomach and head felt upset by it. I would also say read the plot before you see this movie because it will help you deal with what happens. The film made me smile / laugh / feel upset and intrigued me. Everyone was a teenager at some point who had a first crush that felt like it never ended - Witherspoon shined I mean before this movie i kinda just saw her as a pretty face however she had skills and deserves credit !! I have to watch more of her films to see if she continues her skills !!! I will never forget her as Danni = the only little note i would say is i agree with some people that Danni and Court should have had a better ending rather then Court and her sister.
plutus1947 I know this movie was made over 20 years ago but it is still a movie everyone can watch and enjoy This was Reese Witherspoon's movie debut and could arguably be her best performance to date, even though her superb performance in 'Walk The Line' was certainly deserving of the Oscar she won We must neither forget all the other movies she has made, notably the two 'Legally Blonde' movies She made this movie when she was 14/15 and her superb acting ability was plain to see from the outset SPOILER BEGINS Reese plays Dani Trant an adolescent teenage tomboy who falls in love with a boy a few years older than herself, Court Foster, played by Jason London. She got her first kiss from him.Unfortunately for Dani she has an older sister, Maureen, played by Emily Warfield and when Maureen and Court meet it is love at first sight Although this obviously caused a rift between the two sisters and was possibly going to tear them apart forever, events took a tragic turn when Court was killed in a tractor accident From this tragedy eventually Dani and Maureen managed to find a way to heal their differences SPOILER ENDS The script was extremely tastefully written and an ideal baptism on the silver screen for Reese The acting on everyones part was wonderful, but Rees Witherspoon I must say did steal the show The direction by Robert Mulligan was excellent and the setting of the movie was also very well thought out.I give this movie a 9 rating and would thoroughly recommend it to everyone.