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Shoot the Moon (1982) More at IMDbPro »

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15 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
Overlooked, 9 December 2002
Author: (barbarella70@yahoo.com) from middleton, wi

A post-Vietnam optimism swept our country in the late 1970's and early 80's; filmmakers began to focus on parents and their children instead of rebels and the counterculture. So we had Kramer vs. Kramer, Ordinary People, On Golden Pond, Terms of Endearment, and even E.T. Shoot the Moon was lost in the shuffle due to it's downbeat feel and it's too bad: it offers scenes and performances that blow away the other films by far. It did not sweep the awards or succeed at the box office but sometimes that's not such a bad thing. Written by Bo Goldman (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) and directed by Alan Parker (Midnight Express), the film shows the effect on the family unit when love between the parents fades. There's not alot of laughs here and the film doesn't build in the conventional Hollywood-family movie way: it moves slow and takes its time with several sequences individually building better than the film itself. But the filmmakers strive for realism pays off, creating a powerfully intense viewing experience with a major blessing: the child actors are effective and work well. Goldman and Parker have 10 children between them and the intimacy they create in these setpieces is unique: there's no staginess or false notes.

Diane Keaton and Albert Finney are extrordinary: Keaton first showed the signs of strong dramatic chops in Looking For Mr. Goodbar and Interiors but they were merely warm-ups for her crowning work here and in Reds. In her bathtub scene - alone, she looks up and softly sings 'If I Fell' while a flood of emotions wash over her face- Faith's anger and vulnerability are beautifully displayed in such a simple way; most actors would chew the scenery when performing a scene like this -Keaton just breathes and lets it happen. She really is one of our great actors -playing comedy and drama with ease- and a role model when it comes to project choices.

Albert Finney -his face bloated and depressed- displays the raw intensity we used to see in DeNiro. It's hard to believe he's the same good looking young man who brought the sexy Tom Jones to life and became a sixties icon. Finney went on to give an Academy Award nominated performance as the raging alcoholic in Under the Volcano but it's here he does his best work. George's anger and desperation are stunningly realized during the sequence when he tries to give his daughter her belated birthday gift only to be locked out of the home he used to be a part of. It's a brutal scene played without sentiment and is probably the most memorable in the film.

Talented Karen Allen (playing George's mistress) went on to play the strongest female role Steven Spielberg's ever created in Raiders of the Lost Ark; here, she's merely decorative. However, Peter Weller adds great support as Faith's love interest and Dana Hill is heartbreaking as Sherry, the oldest daughter.

A restaurant fight between Faith and George feels very false and played for laughs and the ending is a bit contrived, but there's too much in this film that deserves to be seen. Hopefully, a DVD treatment will be available; maybe then Shoot the Moon will be given its due.

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9 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Somewhat of a Modern-Day "The Pumpkin Eater", 9 December 2004

Author: mmitsos-1 from Oak Brook

If you haven't seen "Shoot the Moon", see it. It is very difficult to find, as it appears to be out of print. To a degree, it reminds me of "The Pumpkin Eater" (Eng., 1964), with Anne Bancroft and Peter Finch. Both films deal with bad marriages, in which the husband cheats. Also, the husbands in both films are writers (Peter Finch plays a screenwriter, Albert Finney plays a novelist), and the wives are very supportive, up to a point. However, comparisons seems to end at this point, as "Shoot the Moon" really portrays the emotional stages of divorce and its effects on the entire family and others in their environs whereas "The Pumpkin Eater" focuses mostly on the character of Jo Armitage, played by Anne Bancroft, and her proclivity to have children and find most of her self-worth in raising children.

Diane Keaton and Albert Finney play the husband and wife in "Shoot the Moon", and they are both absolutely superb in their roles. Ditto for Dana Hill, the actress playing their oldest child (very tragically, this very talented actress died in 1996 due to complications from diabetes). This film is so realistic, and the acting, all the way around, is so natural. Diane Keaton's scene singing in the bathtub is particularly moving, as is the scene in which Albert Finney wants to give his eldest daughter her birthday present. This whole latter scene was portrayed very realistically....no sugar-coating here, and for that, I applaud Parker and the cast. Keaton's scene with Peter Weller (who plays Frank) on their first "date" was also very realistic and low-key, considering the emotions her character Faith is going through, just re-entering the "dating" scene since her husband left her. Faith's announcement of her knowledge of her husband's affair, to her husband, in the middle of talking about running out of orange juice, was also so realistic. This screenplay was simply very well written all the way around. I might not agree with the ending entirely; but, it was a story option that was plausibly pursued.

On a few other notes, the soundtrack offers a nice throwback to the '70's (Bob Segar, etc.). Also watch for a young Tracey Gold, who would later star in "Growing Pains" and a younger Tina Yothers, who would later star in "Family Ties". I highly recommend this film....a very good story and great acting together provide for a thoroughly enjoyable cinematic experience. In retrospect, it was sorely overlooked on Oscar night.

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10 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
Shoot the Moon, 28 May 1999
Author: Tim Cox from Marietta, OH

Honest drama about the breakup of a 15 year marriage that is brought to the screen with brute intensity by acting giants Finney and Keaton. Director Alan Parker arrives at some striking revelations about what keeps people together and what drives them apart. There are moments that are exceptionally moving and the supporting cast should also be commended for their work.

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9 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
A Masterpiece!, 21 October 2005

Author: Ouarda from New York, NY

This is the best film I've ever seen on how someone can destroy the very foundation that nourishes them, and then, ultimately, resort to the most dramatic measures when they realize what they've done. This is a case study in how couples grow apart. The acting on the part of Diane Keaton and Albert Finney is among the best of their distinguished careers. Ditto Karen Allen, Peter Weller, and most of all, Dana Hill. There are scenes in this film that will stay in my mind forever, especially the one where Diane Keaton is crying while singing "If I Fell" in the bathtub. The soundtrack is outstanding and the songs are used to perfection. Notice the use of "Play With Fire" when Diane Keaton and Peter Weller start their affair.

The movie to me is about how when one person loses touch with themselves, they take so many other people down with them. George is not a bad guy but he has grown irreparably apart from his family. As with many extremely successful people, living in one of the most prestigious counties in the United States, he lost touch of the man he was and what he needs most. The scenes between Albert Finney and Dana Hill, who plays his oldest daughter, are absolutely heart wrenching.

Personally, I think the ultra-dramatic ending is extremely raw and honest. It still haunts me after all these years.

I will always give this film a 10 out of 10.

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9 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
Painful, Realistic, Beautiful, 23 June 2005

Author: Katz5 from Arlington, VA

Why this movie is not on DVD is a mystery. It blows away Kramer Vs. Kramer, which came out a few years before, and is on par with Ordinary People. Anyone who's witnessed a family tearing itself apart because of infidelity, among other issues, will find this movie occasionally unbearable to watch. The ending is a bit too much--for the few who've seen it, the tennis court scene. And a few other scenes are just too over the top. But the acting is so natural (I believe it's the best acting Albert Finney and Diane Keaton have ever done) and their emotions so raw and powerful, that I cry every time I see it. Note to whichever company owns the early '80s MGM catalog--GET THIS ON DVD!

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5 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
The Best Film of 1982, 23 September 2005

Author: asc85 from Mercer County, NJ

1982 was arguably one of the greatest film years in recent memory, with releases including "E.T.", "Gandhi," and "Sophie's Choice." Still, I would say that the best film of 1982 - and one of the best films of the 1980's - was "Shoot the Moon." I am not sure exactly why this film never got the acclaim it deserved...certainly there were many great films that year that overshadowed it. Moreover, it might have been too visceral for some...a couple I knew who were previously divorced from other people were extremely offended by the movie, and found it gratuitous.

I have only seen two films be successful in making the lead characters so likable in one scene, and then so unlikeable in the next scene. This is one of them (the other one is "Twice in a Lifetime"). Bo Goldman's screenplay is tremendous. Diane Keaton's rendition of "If I Fell" while soaking in the bathtub is one of the most haunting and powerful scenes I have ever seen. Also, the scene towards the end of the movie in the restaurant where Finney and Keaton are loudly arguing with each other to the annoyance of other patrons is extremely well done and enjoyable. I believe most of the scene is done in a long take. On regular TV, that scene is butchered due to the language, and they show cut-aways to other patrons to get away with that.

It's been more than 20 years since "Shoot the Moon" was released, and I'm not sure what I could say that would motivate someone to see this film for the first time. But it truly is great. Pauline Kael thought so too, and I'm sure she will carry much more weight with movie fans than me!

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Good 1st half, 7 February 2009

Author: n_r_koch from Washington DC

This movie starts very well (and is still worth watching) with its close examination of a domestic breakup. Unfortunately, it goes pear-shaped and slapstick in the second half. It gets 2 extra points for being surprising and unusual.

Pauline Kael called this the most revealing movie of its era. What she meant is that it's like ANNIE HALL, ORDINARY PEOPLE, KRAMER VS KRAMER, and all those other Failed Relationship movies merged into one sloppy heap. The only thing that's missing is the drugs-- if you don't count the joint the wife smokes. It goes all over the road trying to hit everything. There's even a courtroom scene. Even Parker must have wondered at times what the writer, Goldman, was trying to do. It rubs you raw and it also makes you giggle.

The four adult leads (all veterans) do as good a job as any actors could do with what they are given. And Keaton does an amazing job in the solo bathtub scene where she has to sing and then break down. But even she and Finney look baffled by the restaurant and hospital scenes; they seem to be saying "How do we play this?" The child actors are, sadly because they are good, given the job of either being a bratty chorus or setting up the adults with things no real kid would say. However at one point one of them (they all look alike) is allowed to cut loose and ad lib a Wicked Witch impression while her TV plays the 1939 OZ. It nearly stops the show (it's the best thing in the movie).

The ending is actually pretty logical: Goldman had written himself into a corner and how else could he get out?

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
A brilliantly told tale of a family falling apart ., 3 November 2008

Author: RedRoadster from London, England

The title "Shoot the moon" refers to a move that can be made in a card game where the highest possible outcome can be obtained by the risky strategy of achieving the lowest possible score. This description symbolises the events that happen as the story unfolds.

Director Alan Parker (Midnight express, Angel Heart) made one of the most haunting movies about human reaction to a domestic crisis ever done with "Shoot the Moon." Featuring a beautifully written script by Bo Goldman (one flew over the cuckoo's nest) and well measured performances by a solid cast.

The film begins with George Dunlap (Albert Finney) and his wife Faith (Diane Keaton) attending an awards dinner. It is clear from the outset that the marriage is in trouble. George is sarcastic and snaps comments at his wife, whilst Faith is distant and preoccupied. The early scenes, brilliantly underplayed by the two leads, show a couple who keep up appearances for their children and colleagues but who privately have lost their way.

When it is revealed that George is having an affair with another woman, the ensuing sequence of events depict a complete breakdown in the family unit with each member of the house reacting differently to the drama.

The scene where Diane Keaton is soaking in the bath and manages to convey a dozen different emotions with her facial expressions whilst singing "If I fell" is incredibly moving. Perhaps even more powerful a scene though, is where George turns up to the family home unannounced to give his eldest daughter her birthday present, only to be shut out of the existence he used to be a part of and treated as an unwanted outsider. It is a sequence shown with characters displaying desperate and raw emotions completely without sentiment as the gravity of what George has done becomes evident.

Finney and Keaton are on top of their game here as is a young Dana Hill (who tragically died prematurely from diabetes) whose scenes with Finney are heartbreaking. Peter Weller also gives good support with a subtle performance as the new man in Faith's life.

A scene where the two leads have a fight over dinner in a hotel feels a bit out of place with the somber tone of the rest of the movie and was probably added to give some comic relief to the audience after so much depression. The film makers also seemed to go "Hollywood" with the ending which seems out of sorts with the rest of the story.

When Oscar time came around in 1982, "Shoot the Moon" was ignored. The film's depressing story was certainly out of character with the main stream features of the day, but more significantly a factor perhaps was that Robert Redfords "Ordinary People" had already covered the family falling to pieces story in 1980 and the academy had honoured the film heavily. There was likely a reluctance by the academy voters to recognise a similar film in the same way so soon.

"Shoot the Moon" is a harrowing tale of how decisions have tragic consequences for others and how sometimes you only realise what kept you going in life, after you've thrown it away.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Intense but with major flaws, 10 September 2008

Author: sarajevo-2 from Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This film, showing the breakup of a marriage and the devastation wrought for the four children, has some striking performances, particularly in the scenes with the children. Dana Hill, who played the barely teenage eldest daughter, was phenomenal, and I don't remember seeing better ensemble acting from children ever. Their energy together was remarkable.

Diane Keaton also gave a strong performance as Faith, the wife left by a husband who has fallen for another woman. I wasn't so impressed with Albert Finney's portrayal of the husband, George, but perhaps that's because he played such a flawed character, a warm and passionate man who succumbs to violence when frustrated.

While there are some intense and moving character portrayals in the film, the motivations for the intensity that was portrayed was hardly shown. Why did the marriage break up? We see the anger and frustration, but have no idea what caused it. What was so appealing about the new woman in George's life and the new man in the Faith's life? And most important, why did Faith and the eldest daughter stay loving such a violent man? At one point, George breaks into the house, locks his wife out of the house and beats his daughter because she won't accept his birthday gift or talk to him. Afterwards, there are no repercussions. It's like the filmmakers feel that this kind of violence is normal and acceptable.

There is an almost comic scene in a restaurant, where George and Faith argue violently, and then start to fight with other guests who complain. This incites passion in them, not disgust.

This theme, that violence arises from passion, and is therefore almost acceptable, I found disturbing. I was surprised that other reviewers didn't mention it.

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1 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
For those who grew up in the 80's...., 9 July 2008

Author: roscoe1998 from United States

I watched this movie with my Mom during my parents divorce when I was 10 years old. After watching it again with my wife, I was brought back rather harshly to a time I would rather forget. I remember saying (when Finney goes crazy and gets his ass kicked at the end) the f word in front of my mother for the first time when I told her.."F#$@ this, I can't take this s%$#." Before that outburst, i had only heard my father use that type of language. The outburst wasn't a reflection of reality as my Dad was a 215 lb. golden gloves champ, but the raw emotion and broken souls that were portrayed was moving now and over a quarter century ago. Enough with my whining. Rent or Buy the movie if you can find it. I was able to watch because my morbid Mother (God love her) still kept a copy. Anyway, the movie was well cast, well written, and one of the most believable, heart wrenching performances (by all actors, especially Sherry) in modern cinema. However, one has to ask him/herself.."If I was Albert Finney, would I cheat on a 1982 version of Diane Keaton?". Then again, Hugh Grant cheated on Liz Hurley.

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