Walk on the Moon, A (1999)

reviewed by
Jon Popick


PLANET SICK-BOY: http://www.sick-boy.com

A bored housewife is the focus of this film. And if that doesn't give you any indication of the overall boringness of the movie, then read on. Diane Lane (Murder at 1600) stars as Pearl Kantrowitz, a seemingly happy wife and mother of two – until the family takes its annual trek from New York City to Woodbridge for summer vacation. Here, Pearl realizes that she missed out on too much of her life by becoming knocked up at the early age of 17.

So instead of turning to valium like all of the other hausfraus, she starts screwing the traveling blouse salesman (Viggo Mortensen, A Perfect Murder) that occasionally pops into the shanty vacation town to peddle wares to the stranded women. She doesn't learn his name until later. And because the film is set in the summer of 1969, the filmmakers have Pearl and the Blouse Man make love with the requisite nostalgic backdrops – Woodstock and the moon landing.

Pearl gives no thought to the fact that her hard-working television repairman husband (Liev Schreiber, Scream) gave up things in his life, too. Or to her kids, Alison and Daniel (Anna Paquin and Bobby Boriello). Or to her fortune-telling mother-in-law (Tovah Feldshuh, Law & Order) who keeps Pearl's affair from her own son. Or even to the poor fools that have to watch this film.

The anemic script is blandly directed by Tony Goldwyn (the bad guy in Ghost) but is more of a showcase for some very fine acting. The best parts, however, are actually from an unseen actress – Julie Kavner is the uncredited voice of the resorts social director that can often be heard announcing to the yenta vacationers `The knish man is on the premises.' (1:45 – R for nudity, sex and adult language)


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