Moonlight and Valentino
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Rebecca Lott - Elizabeth Perkins
Sylvie Morrow - Whoopi Goldberg
Lucy Trager - Gwyneth Paltrow
Alberta Russell - Kathleen Turner
The Painter - Jon Bon Jovi
Steven - Jeremy Sisto
Thomas Trager - Josef Sommer
Adapted by Ellen Simon from her semi-autobiographical stage play, story revolves around Rebecca Lott (Perkins), a young, attractive, happily married woman whose husband is hit by a car while jogging. The suddenness of his death leaves Rebecca shellshocked and disoriented; she stubbornly refuses at first to acknowledge the "W" word (widow) to her eccentric best friend, Sylvie (Whoopi Goldberg).
For the first half-hour, the narrative perceptively records Rebecca's determination to get on with her life, specifically her career as a college professor. She's not all alone: In addition to Sylvie, Rebecca's support group includes Lucy (Gwyneth Paltrow), her neurotic, virginal younger sister, and Alberta (Kathleen Turner), their overbearing former stepmother, a career woman who's pragmatic and down-to-earth to a fault.
Rebecca's loss and heartfelt grief soon begin to reveal insecurities in everyone's life. A mother of three,Sylvie fears that her marriage is crumbling and that her hubby (unbilled Peter Coyote) will leave her. Still attached to her dead mom and resentful of the domineering Alberta, Lucy has her own hang-ups, including deep anxiety about her body and bashful apprehension about dating men.
Things begin to change in pic's second part, when, as a birthday present for Rebecca, Alberta hires a sexy house painter (Jon Bon Jovi) to "spruce up her siding." The presence of the mysterious hunk causes each of the four women to peel away her facade, confront her true identity -- and ultimately share her innermost feelings and fantasies.
Though screenplay betrays its theatrical origins, Simon resists the temptation to construct the women as broad types (widow, virgin, divorcee and wife), embodying her characters with enough personal traits to function as well-rounded individuals. Scripter also resists the temptation to emulate her famous father (Neil Simon) in his younger years, eschewing one-liners in favor of humor that stems directly from the intensely dramatic interactions. But tale's psychological bent drives Simon periodically to resort to an overly clinical, cathartic treatment, with artificially induced conflicts and resolutions.
After the likes of "Hoosiers" and "Rudy," this is a surprising choice of material for director David Anspaugh, and he tends to treat the yarn too reverentially, endowing it with an overly solemn approach. Result is a film that , despite its healthy dosage of humor, unfolds at a slower, draggier pace than necessary.
Nonetheless, all shortcomings are more than compensated for by the stunning quartet of thesps. Perkins shines as the young widow who has to go through the gamut of emotions before reaching a peaceful reconciliation with her new self. Goldberg follows her stellar turn in "Boys on the Side" with another performance that demonstrates her vulnerability and dramatic skills. Turner's timing in delivering droll lines is nothing short of delicious. Though cast in the showiest role, Paltrow blends smartly into the ensemble.
These four actresses ignite the screen with so much power and charisma that one yearns for more ensemble scenes, such as the emotionally satisfying denouement, and fewer issue-related scenes, in which two characters at a time expose -- and reconcile -- their tensions.
Camera (Technicolor), Julio Macat; editor, David Rosenbloom; music, Howard Shore; production design, Robb Wilson King; art direction, David Ferguson; set decoration, Carol Lavoie; costume design, Denise Cronenberg; sound (Dolby), Bruce Carwardine; associate producer, Liza Chasin; assistant director, David J. Webb; casting, Amanda Mackey, Cathy Sandrich. Reviewed at GCC Beverly Connection , L.A., Sept. 25, 1995. MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 104 MIN.
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