A Walk on the Moon Movie Review 1999

Goldwyn's promising directorial debut has 30-ish, vaguely restless Jewish housewife Pearl (Lane) vacationing in the Catskills in the summer of 1969 with her family: teenage daughter Alison (Paquin), son Daniel (Boriello), and intrusive mother-in-law Lillian (Feldshuh). Hubby Marty (Schreiber) is working in the city and visits on the weekends. When sensitive hippie blouse peddler Walker (Mortensen) catches her eye, she decides it's time to catch up on the '60s and her lost teenage years. When she takes off for Woodstock and happens upon her daughter, the family drama is intensified. Pearl's turmoil and motivations are handled well by Lane and the screenwriter Gray, and neither of the men vying for her are cardboard stereotypes, but the abruptly feel-good ending may not work for some.

Distribution

Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521-1120, Toll-free: 800-723-4763, URL: http://www.bvhe.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 107 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Romantic Drama, Romantic Triangles, Moms, Period Piece: 1960s, Vacations

Screenplay

Pamela Gray

Cast

Diane Lane, Liev Schreiber, Viggo Mortensen, Anna Paquin, Tovah Feldshuh, Bobby Boriello

Cinematography

Anthony B. Richmond

Director

Tony Goldwyn

Music

Mason Daring

Producer

Dustin Hoffman, Tony Goldwyn, Jay Cohen, Neil Koenigsberg, Lee Gottsegen, Murray Schisgal, Punch Productions, Village Roadshow Pictures, Miramax Films