Excellent but underrated film

Absolutely Brilliant!

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

An all-star cast give stand-up performances in this small-screen beauty. Hoffman, Sarandon and Hunter live up to their billing. Gyllenhaal and Pompeo spread their dramatic wings, especially when facial expression and body language must carry the scene -- the art of "tacit" acting lost on so many of today's young actors. The script provides plenty of elbow room for subtle humor and innuendo. The sound track provides a richness to the film's "Indie" ambiance. Like any good dramatic work, there's a lot working "beneath the surface" in this film -- it becomes more profound and is better appreciated with subsequent viewings. This is "keeper" DVD for your movie collection.

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

The premise is a good idea for a dark comedy with a minimal amount of drama, moralizing, etc. Bit of a stretch to have grieving parents so embrace an "almost" son-in-law. Bad casting: Hoffman's too heavy, Jake G. walks around in a stupor. Sarandon and Pompeo shine though again, they're given too much heavy drama wherein their funny banter is more appealing.MM gives new definition to the term "sinks under its own weight". Whatever the makers intended, toward the end, the cat is out of the bag about Jake and Diane's breakup so the only conflict is her parents inability to accept Diane's death. Jake's affair is interesting but too convoluted to have suspense, although Pompeo's appearances are bright spots throughout the film.In a nutshell, MM should've been a comedy - albeit a morose one. Its descent into drama makes the circumstances unbelievable. I'm a lawyer who does some criminal defense who's long since learned to cut courtroom scenes some license. Not this time. Jake/Joe would've never made it to the stand: His "loss" is for the penalty phase as he knows nothing about the crime. Even a bad judge would've cut off his ridiculous "sermon" on the stand, poorly delivered anyway.NOTE: I'd thought "moonlight mile" was a metaphor like "primrose path", low road", etc. MM features the Stones song of the same title. Great song. But what's "moonlight mile", the song or the meaning of the words, got to do with the story?

This film is perfect if your looking for a good cry but with some humorous bits too, in fact this films got everything you want in a drama, joy, sadness, hope, fear the lot. OK this movie is not for everyone some people are bound to find it really boring and a bit of a drag so if you into all action and full of energy kind of films then I would advise you not to even consider this but to all the people who are into dramas or Jake Gyllenhaal then I would recommend this movie 100%. The acting is truly amazing, they are all really believable as the roles they are playing. Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon as the parents of their murdered daughter, Ben and Jo Jo, clinging on to her fiancée as they feel he is a big part of her and don't want to see him leave them too, while Jake Gyllenhaal as the part of Joe the nearly son-and -law to Ben and Jo,Jo, who tries to be perfect for them and be everything he wants them to be despite what he wants..which he really doesn't even know..he's confused..doesn't know what he wants to do in life. As he said, "I want to figure out what I want to do". This film is truly beautiful and shows deep emotion that isn't in any way corny.A film that I think is very underrated.To be honest I saw it for Jake Gyllenhaal but after seeing it it is now one of my favourite Jake films.I loved it!