So much average

Good concept, poorly executed.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Moonstruck4 Out Of 5Moonstruck is a character driven romantic drama about a dysfunctional family and the dysfunctional love that runs on its tree with a hint of humor served on everyone's plate. It is one of those rare rom-com drama that has surprisingly got everything right with a balanced equation with heavy teams on each side. The conversations are flirty and notoriously hilarious with gigs that are so smoothly created, that leaves the audience in an awe of its mellow sweetness. Ticking for almost 100 minutes, the family has a more-than-welcome agenda that leaves the viewers satisfied and hungry for more simultaneously. The chemistry among each individual character varies with a wide range and still somehow managed to create the anticipated environment of a family reunion to the point where you feel part of this chaos. It is rich on technical aspects like background score, sound department and amazing melodies that are hummed throughout the course of it. It is well edited with a stunning cinematography and colourful visuals that adds the cherry on top of it all. The writing is sharp if not strong and adaptive, gripping and eerily follows a mutual theme whenever parallel tracks are going on; something that doesn't come often. Jewison; the director, is in his A game and doing some of his careers best work where his passion exceeds the hard work. Cher is confident and on the note with Cage supporting her decently but the show stealer would be Dukakis and not because she had stronger role to portray but she pulls it off without flinching even for a second. Argumentative conversations, hilarious tiny moments installed and good old romantic tale are the high points of the feature that helps it make it to the major league. Moonstruck is something that strikes once and that'd be all which is what makes it poetic in its rawness that is utterly deep than it seems.

Moonstruck is good entertainment that fits the bill as a movie for various ages and tastes. The sexual indiscretions are treated with humour. The Italian neighbourhood in New York where the movie is set is more like an urban village. One amusing scene shows Loretta played by Cher, as a 37 year-old widow and daughter of an Italian family, as she makes her confession to the parish priest, who speaks to her on a first name basis. Then she runs into her mother, Rose, played by Olympia Dukakis, praying in church. This typifies the close society of her neighbourhood where the restaurants, churches, delis and corner groceries are meeting places for neighbours and family. The locale is New York City near the Metropolitan Opera, which enters the story when Loretta and her new boyfriend, played by Nicholas Cage, go on a date. Coincidentally, they happen to spot her father, Cosmo, played by Vince Gardenia, with a girlfriend. Loretta has become engaged to Johnny, performed by Danny Aiello, who she fears will find out about her new boyfriend after his return from Italy. The new boyfriend also happens to be the brother of her fiancé. Things seem to unravel and then be resolved for the family, friends and neighbours under the influence of a full moon. Nicholas Cage and Cher seem to be made for each other in this movie as the still young widow and the hard-luck, angry butcher. It is in fact a group of people who have all seen their share of tragedy, success, and strained family relationships. Good luck and good sense does not always win the day. Yet, the movie is full of heart and is something of a lesson on how to put egos aside and let our best instincts work things out. Norman Jewison directed this delightful movie. Recommend.

i rented a 1998 'special edition' DVD from netflix. i was very disappointed to find that it had been reformatted 4:3 for TV viewing. mgm needs to reissue this fine movie in its original aspect ratio. generally a reformatted DVD has two sides, so the viewer can pick. but in this case there's only one side. otherwise it's a fine movie that i probably saw in the theater then again on tape. given its quality, i'm surprised it hasn't been issued in a REALLY special edition. now, is this enough lines for a review? of course i'm not going to pad the review with junk, but i do think a review needn't be of a certain length. i've said what i need to say. so there.

I remember going to the movies with my mom in Queens around Easter weekend when I was 13 years old to watch this wonderful film! At first, I was wondering if this was going to be just another sappy romantic movie but then I had some of the biggest laughs plus being mesmerized by the La Boheme score that was playing (Tebaldi/Bergonzi/Bastianini/Serafin on London DECCA. I left the theater that night hearing the La Boheme score swelling in my head! It was because of Moonstruck that I fell in love with Boheme and Opera itself and eventually decided to sing opera myself. Cher truly gave the performance of her life as Loretta Castorini. She really showed me a new dimension of not only her acting craft but also her personality. I don't think she has since given such a fine, funny and truly endearing performance. I love how she initially hides behind a no-nonsense rock of strength persona only to slowly have that unravel to show the audience a vulnerable woman who just wants to love and be loved. Olympia and Vincent were both superb as Loretta's parents. Nick Cage shows us a preview of his acting chops and how he worked hard to make success happen for himself without relying on his family's popular name: Coppola to become famous!Julie Bovasso and Louis Guss were wonderful as Loretta's aunt and uncle. Feodor was brilliant as Loretta's grandfather and of course there's Danny Aiello as Johnny, Loretta's safe but boring fiancée. His character came close to home for me. It was also funny to see "Peggy Hitler" the mean cookie lady who beat up Ray Romano in an Everybody Loves Raymond episode AKA Amy Aquino playing one of the hair dressers in the beauty salon in a tiny part and several others.Moonstruck truly has many of the elements of a Puccini opera romance, comedy, and tragedy to some degree. This was New York City at its finest...at a time when I remember her to not be without problems but still has a certain charm and inviting allure despite her difficulties which has since been lost primarily after 9/11.(Haunting to watch scenes of the World Trade Center from Brooklyn) I personally am so glad this movie was made when it was and with the cast which was chosen. I miss you New York City 1986-87. "alla familigia!"