Regular Price $9.99

Starring: Diane Lane,  Viggo Mortensen,  Liev Schreiber,  Anna Paquin,  Tovah Feldshuh, 
Directed By: Tony Goldwyn, 
Rated: R (Restricted)
Release Date: 1999-04-02
Studio: Miramax
Format: Closed-captioned,  Color,  Dolby,  DVD-Video,  Letterboxed,  Widescreen,  NTSC, 

Editorial Reviews and DVD Information about A Walk on the Moon

Description
Dustin Hoffman presents Diane Lane (MURDER AT 1600, JACK), Liev Schreiber (SPHERE, SCREAM I&II), and Viggo Mortensen (A PERFECT MURDER, THE LORD OF THE RINGS) in a provocative and sensual story about one woman's personal sexual revolution! It's the summer of 1969 and Pearl (Lane) is spending yet another vacation with her family when she realizes that the freedom of the times is passing her by. Following a chance meeting with a sexy, free-spirited young man (Mortensen), Pearl is soon doing the unthinkable: having a daring, passionate affair! Also starring Academy Award(R)-winner Anna Paquin (Best Supporting Actress, THE PIANO, 1993; SHE'S ALL THAT) in a powerful motion picture that's been called one of the year's best -- Pearl must ultimately decide between the love of her husband and children ... or the lure of her newfound desires!

Amazon.com
Although its tale of marital crisis unfolds a bit too cleanly, A Walk on the Moon--which was coproduced by Dustin Hoffman--offers a welcome relief from the juvenile assault of skull-throbbing blockbusters. The story is gently involving, the characters are authentic, and, best of all, Diane Lane is given a chance to show why she's one of the most genuine and underrated actresses of her generation. Here she plays Pearl Kantrowitz, a devoted housewife on a routine vacation in the Catskills with her TV repairman husband Marty (Liev Schreiber), 14-year-old daughter (Anna Paquin), and rambunctious younger son (Tovah Feldshuh).

It's the summer of 1969. Neil Armstrong has made his "one small step for man," Woodstock is about to happen nearby (leading to a barely plausible dramatic coincidence), and while her husband is away on business, Pearl is cautiously receptive to the seductions of "the blouse man" (Viggo Mortensen), a hippie salesman who offers the adventure and passion that Pearl sacrificed to young pregnancy and marriage. Once the stage for infidelity is set, A Walk on the Moon progresses predictably, but first-time screenwriter Pamela Gray stays true to the emotions of her characters, and actor Tony Goldwyn (making a smooth directorial debut) maintains precisely the right tone to downplay most of the movie's dramatic clichés. Add to this a sharp dynamic between Lane and Paquin, whose performances create a substantial mother-daughter relationship. Graced by stolen moments and fleeting expressions that speak volumes, this unassuming little film is eminently worthwhile. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews for A Walk on the Moon

A+ movie
"A Walk on the Moon" was one of the best movie I have seen in awhile. Since my purchase of this movie I have watched it 3 times, my husband has watched it with me also and enjoyed it. Normally this is not a type of movie he would watch.
A Walk on the Moon

The Blouse Man & the Unfulfilled Wife
Like some other reviewers here I felt that the title A Walk on the Moon wasn't really suited to the theme of this movie, but that's just my opinion. As for the movie itself, it takes on the theme of adultery, growing pains and family life set against the backdrop of Woodstock and man's landing on the moon.

Diane Lane plays Pearl Kantrowitz who married young [to her high school sweetheart] and her husband is played by Liev Schreiber, a T.V. repairman. They lead a typical middle-class life with their two children, 14-year-old daughter [Anna Paquin] and a young son. It is the summer of 69 and the Kantrowitz family, including grandma Bubbie[Tovah Feldshuh], head off to the Catskills where they join a bungalow colony of similar working class Jewish people and everything seems idyllic on the surface except for Pearl's dissatisfaction with her humdrum existence ["I haven't made a decision in ten years, except whether to shop at A&P or Waldbaum's"] and things are not helped by her husband's long working hours and absence.

Enter the "Blouse Man" aka Walker Jerome [played by pre-LOTR and Eastern Promises Viggo Mortensen] who stirs something primitive and dormant in Pearl and both engage in a summer of forbidden passion. When Pearl's husband eventually finds out, all hell breaks loose, and Pearl has some tough decisions to make.

I felt that the script itself needed some tweaking as it often felt like a melodrama that seemed to drag in parts. What lifted the movie above melodrama however was the fine cast - Diane Lane's Pearl is well-defined as the bored and jaded housewife seeking some form of self-actualization, even if it takes the form of adultery. Viggo Mortensen brings some depth to the character of the 'other' man, Liev Shreiber does a pretty decent job as the confused and hurt husband, and there are also some other strong supporting roles. Anna Paquin plays an angry adolescent who rages against her parents yet is quite vulnerable, and Tovah Feldshuh deserves special mention as the 'all-seeing' Bubbie who can spot a disaster from miles away.

All in all, this is a pretty decent drama that could have been great if it had a stronger script. The theme of adultery is inadequately dealt with, yet on the whole, it is entertaining and the scenes of Woodstock etc make for a fun watch.A Walk on the Moon

60's Awakening
A romantic coming of age movie where both mother and daughter grow up during the summer of love. Fantastic sound track.A Walk on the Moon

beleivable and involving
This is a well-made film on every level. It's great how they tie in the goings-on of 1969 to work with the story. And it does work incredibly well. One thing I liked about it is that the performances are realistic and it doesn't smack of Hollywood. It left me with more of a tragic feeling than a romantic one. You can only shake your head over the complexity of the human heart and society that it exists within. They should have included Crosby, Stills and Nash's "Find the Cost of Freedom" in there just for good measure, as this movie certainly explores that. OK, that song is not really about love affairs and their effect on families but about war.. Still, the effect of the affair on her family (the cost of freedom?) is obviously one of the themes in this movie and is in fact part of the price she (and her family) pays. For better or for worse.

I wanted to see this after catching Diane Lane in "Unfaithful", which was a rollarcoaster ride. "A Walk On The Moon" better fits the drama catagory, and doesn't have the edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting impact of "Unfaithful" though it does gently but surely pull you into its world. Thus we care about the characters and become quite interested in the story.

And yes, it was great to see the legend of Woodstock and the late 60s play into the personal life of one family. Neither over nor under-done, the final effect is a beleivable and involving movie that didn't exactly have me yearning for those times, but certainly gives a sense of appreciation and understanding for where people were. While styles and current events have changed, issues of the heart perhaps haven't changed all that much. The hippie revolution seemed to test those issues (among others), adding another interesting element as backdrop to this ancient dilemma.A Walk on the Moon

A Walk on the Moon
Here's a chick flick for the baby boomers out there. You'll enjoy every moment of this movie with it's fantastic cast. Great soundtrack will bring back some memories.A Walk on the Moon