On balance my selection this week A Walk on the Moon is not destined to go down as an all-time classic, but since its release in 1999, I have found myself stopping to watch it whenever I see it on TV. The film stars Diane Lane, Viggo Mortensen, Liev Schreiber and Anna Paquin and directed by Tony Goldwyn.
It is the summer of love (1969), the age of Woodstock and Neil Armstrong is about to make history in outer pace. Meanwhile in upstate New York, Pearl (Diane Lane) and her husband Marty (Liev Schreiber) are accompanied by their teenage daughter Alison (Anna Paquin), young son Danny Marty’s mother Lillian at their summer camp retreat. Due to work commitments, Marty can only be with the family on the weekends, leaving the family and Pearl specifically to their own devices. It is not too long before she meets the tee-shirt salesman, free spirit and all-around hippie Walker Jerome (Viggo Mortensen) – do I really need to tell you where this one is headed?
Running in parallel to this story is the coming-of-age for the teenaged Alison.
Maybe I am just a sucker for these types of stories that take an idyllic look back at such a turbulent time in our recent history. Or maybe I just like looking at Mr. Mortensen on screen 😉
Have you seen it? If so, let me know what you think?
Todd Mason says
November 6, 2012 at 2:43 amIt’s an intelligent, measured script, with good performances all-’round, and I have as much difficulty not sitting raptly drinking in Lane’s beauty as you might with VM’s…even if the still above doesn’t actually catch either at their best!
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iluvcinema says
November 6, 2012 at 6:25 amVery true. I was looking for a nicer picture but gave up and used one of the promotional stills. In terms of actresses and their looks, Diane Lane has always been one that I was slightly envious of.
Patti Abbott says
November 6, 2012 at 11:26 amI adore this film. Can’t exactly say why either. Something about its setting, I think. And I love Lane, Shreiber and Mortensen.
iluvcinema says
November 6, 2012 at 6:03 pmThat must be it – really good actors!
sati says
November 6, 2012 at 3:02 pmWoah, I’m gonna need to check it out. Viggo Mortensen is absolutely delicious and it sounds like a perfect part for him to play 🙂
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iluvcinema says
November 6, 2012 at 6:03 pmHe’s lovely innit?
ruth says
November 7, 2012 at 11:34 amStill haven’t seen this one even though w/ Viggo, I really should!
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iluvcinema says
November 7, 2012 at 1:49 pm🙂