Moonlighting (1982) User Reviews

Powerfully acted and thoughtfully told

[Oblomov_81 · 8/10 · 25 August 2000]

Jerzy Skolimowski's "Moonlighting" is an outstanding achievement in many respects. Not only does it contain one of the most fulfilling performances that has ever been put to the screen, but it also serves as a political allegory, a smartly-told drama, and a unique exercise in creating suspense.

On the surface, the story is rather simple: sometime in the early 80's, during the political turmoil that was occurring in Poland, a group of Polish workers emigrate to London to renovate an apartment for their boss. They have no working permits, so they have to do their job with as much secrecy as possible. When Novak (Jeremy Irons), their English-speaking foreman, discovers that military law has been declared in their homeland, he tries to keep it a secret until they are allowed back into the country.

This may not seem like much of a story compared to most modern thrillers. There are no police out to get Novak and his men, nor are there any political opponents out to assassinate them. They are simply there to do their job, and Novak has to make sure they do it effectively and on time. Small but crucial subplots develop out of this: in order to feed himself and his men, Novak has to fake receipts for food (due to the limited amount of money they brought with them), and there are several scenes where he tries to get past the clerks at a grocery store with a Christmas turkey. He also has to buy them clothes and fulfill some of their material demands. On top of that, he also begins to develop fears and worries about his wife back home, including the suspicion that his boss may be having an affair with her. As the story progresses, Novak's money runs lower and his fear and paranoia grows stronger.

Because he is the only one of them who can speak English, Novak is the only one who can communicate with the outside world. But he is also very manipulative, and serves as a symbol of a government that misled their people and kept them ignorant of many of their own problems. It is interesting to see how Skolimowski develops sympathy for poor Novak; for all his intelligence, he is still nothing more than a pawn in the hands of a corrupt government. He is a stranger in a strange land, lost and faking his knowledge of his whereabouts. It would have been difficult to make this film convincing had the lead role not been played to perfection, but Jeremy Irons does it with more grace and skill than any other actor possibly could. Much of his performance is spent in narration, subtly explaining his growing confusion and terror. There are several moments where he keeps a perfectly straight face while rambling on in his head about the grave situation he is in. His performance here holds its own in a year that also included Dustin Hoffman in "Tootsie," Ben Kingsly in "Gandhi," Gerard Depardieu in "Danton," Paul Newman in "The Verdict," Jurgen Prochnow in "Das Boot," and Jack Lemmon in "Missing."

Like Andrej Wajda (who made "Man of Marble" and "Danton"), Jerzy Skolimowski was an outspoken critic of Poland's communist regime. Curiously, he wrote the script in only a little over a day, and the whole production of the film took only a matter of months. Furthermore, the three Polish workers accompanying Novak in the story were actual Polish emigrants living (legally) in Skolimowski's home at the time military law was declared. "Moonlighting" won a well deserved screenplay award at Cannes and was nominated for the Palme d'Or.

This film is on video, but I do not think it is still being circulated. I hope they re-release it on video or DVD someday.

The Peanut Gallery

[LauraLeeWasHere · 8/10 · 16 October 2015]

This film is a mesmerizing and strangely addictive story about a man who buys a dilapidated condo in London and hires and transports several Polish builders to London to renovate it because they will work for a cheaper amount than the unionized English workers. Except for the foreman (in an early role by Jeremy Irons) none of them speak English and the foreman doesn't tell his employer or his co- workers when they overshoot the budget and run out of money.

Trying to figure out HOW he will get the job done and WHY he is going to such great lengths and pains becomes all consuming mental and emotional puzzles as you become sucked into this well written story and tour de force performance by Jeremy Irons. By the second half of the film, you can't bare to watch but can't stand to look away. (It's as if you meant to eat only a few peanuts to suddenly discover you've consumed the entire amount and didn't even notice) I think this film is best described as "Escapism" rather than "Enjoyment" but either way you won't be focused on anything else while you're watching it. In fact the "taste" of it lingered with me for days after I saw it. It's full of a quiet yet constantly building tension, with a capital 'T'. No car chases, big explosions, explicit sex, swearing or violence. Just a well constructed screen gem that seemed to have fallen through the cracks when it was released in the early 1980's.

Fascinating drama

[harry-76 · 7/10 · 7 March 1999]

"Moonlighting" is an engrossing film, made all the more unusual because of the

way it is treated. The basic situation is simple and somewhat routine; it's the way it unfolds that keeps interest high. The acting is fine, with Irons outstanding in the leading role. Unfortunately for me, I simply was not drawn to any of these characters by way of identifying with them. They seemed cold and self-absorbed, and in many ways quite pathetic. I felt as though I was observing rather than empathizing or becoming involved in their plight. Still, it is a very good film with strong production values.

One of those movies i had to like, read about

[jordondave-28085 · 6/10 · 4 October 2023]

(1982) Moonlighting SUSPENSE/ DRAMA

Because of my ignorance about Poland, I can't see any real significance about this film in terms of it's subtle politics! The plot regards Jeremy Irons who is also the narrator of this film lead 3 non- English Polish immigrants to work on a Polish consulate suite on England soil since it's a lot cheaper than to hire someone within the region! Jeremy Irons who is the only one who could speak English tries to exploit this while the uprising was happening in Poland! Again, this film requires some reading afterwards because of my ignorance toward Polish politics during the early 80's.

Moonlighting (1982), a great Polish film directed by Jerzy Skolimowski.

[FilmCriticLalitRao · 10/10 · 4 August 2008]

Moonlighting is an outstanding Polish film which deserves to be listed among top 100 world cinema films.It is a film which shows us that there are some cruel,inhuman,unjust political systems and political establishments who constantly deprive common people of earning their respective livelihoods.Moonlighting demonstrates that human life is full of misery as it can make somebody do things which one would normally not do in daily life.This is the case of a Polish foreman Novak who is in London with three construction workers known to him. For them,their work site appears more of a prison as they cannot go out.Skolimowski is as critical of the plight of clandestine workers as that of Polish government's decision to declare Martial Law.It is sad to learn that according to moonlighting some workers had to work for 18 hours a day.Anxiety,apprehension and confusion are immediately palpable to these people who have landed in London for earning extra money.For example :an airport scene shows Polish workers to be entirely dependent on Novak as he is the only person who speaks English.Touching too are the scenes in which Novak pilfers from a neighborhood supermarket.A word about Sir Jeremy Irons.He is a joy to watch as nobody expected him to play the role of Nowak with amazing inventiveness.

Small Overlooked Film from Early 1980's

[dglink · 9/10 · 20 March 2016]

Led by Nowak, the only member of the group with minimal English skills, four Polish contractors arrive in London to gut and refurbish a row house that belongs to their boss back in Warsaw. Heavily laden with tools and carrying only enough cash for materials, bare living expenses, and little entertainment, the four face separation from family and an often hostile English environment. However, the money earned will go a long way in Poland, and their boss will have a renovated London flat at a quarter the cost of using English labor.

Written and directed by Polish playwright Jerzy Skolimowski, "Moonlighting" is a low key film that focuses on the interaction among the four isolated men, who live, work, and sleep in the flat. Nowak, Jeremy Irons in a quiet understated performance, is the only one to regularly venture outside to find food and building materials. Faced with dwindling funds, Nowak devises various methods to shoplift goods or outwit store managers and cleverly double his grocery purchases. While sheer luck often aids Nowak with his dodgy schemes, the English shopkeepers seem remarkably dim, and the immigration officer on arrival at Heathrow was unbelievably gullible.

The story takes place in 1981, the year the film was shot, and, while Nowak struggles with finances and an approaching deadline, Poland stumbles into a military coup, and martial law is imposed. With phone lines cut between London and Warsaw and all flights to Poland canceled, Nowak must conceal the events unfolding at home from his compatriots to keep them focused on finishing the flat. Because three of the four principal actors have few lines and those only in Polish, the film concentrates on Irons, who ably carries the film. Although much of the action takes place inside the flat, Skolimowski's direction manages to avoid a claustrophobic feel. However, "Moonlighting's" leisurely pace does require patience. But Nowak's sharp wits and audacity, fueled by his determination to complete the assigned task despite the mounting odds, make for engrossing viewing. Skolimowski's "Moonlighting" is a small, overlooked film with many rewards for discerning viewers to discover.

Loneliness and unrest

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 4 August 2019]

My main reason for seeing 'Moonlighting' was Jeremy Irons. It was a film that was highly recommended to me being one of the few films of his that was yet to be seen despite meaning to, with those that recommended it saying that it was one of his best performances and films. And considering that he did a lot of fine work pre-'Lolita' (and of course including that performance, which was better than the film), it was something that could not be refused.

Can see whole-heartedly why 'Moonlighting' was so highly recommended, and would do the very same with fellow Jeremy Irons fans who haven't yet seen the film or with anybody looking for a non-UK/US film to watch. It really is deserving of all the praise it gets and is actually deserving of more in my view, actually know a lot of people who haven't even heard of it let alone not seen it and that really should not be the case. Always try to be subjective and hate it when so many people try to force their opinions onto others, but it does irk me sometimes when you have so many heavily marketed films that are sometimes mediocre at best or ones that are good but not that much. And then you have a film as great as 'Moonlighting', one of the best films of its year and of its subject, that despite critical acclaim is not marketed enough. In favour of films that audiences are more likely to see and have concepts and stories that they may be more likely to warm to perhaps. That should not have been, or be, the case, it deserved much better than that.

Yes the deliberate pace may test the patience for some, it is wholly dependent on the viewer, but to me that was not in any way a fault. Do think that the very end could have been rounded off a little more, though the climactic moments are powerful and the final shot is unforgettable.

Visually, 'Moonlighting' looks good. The setting has a lot of atmosphere that fits the tone of the film ideally and it's filmed with grit and style while bringing a claustrophobic edge that helped make things more powerful. Jerzy Skolimowski, exiled at the time, directs assuredly and never loses the vigour. Furthermore the script is an intelligently written one with some humorously satirical moments in deadpan fashion, and while more familiarity with the subject may help the story enthralled, entertained and moved, with a few disturbing twists in the mix like the identity of the only one who knows what's really happening in Poland. The shoplighting sequence is a major highlight, and there is a fair share of tension and poignancy.

Absolutely agree with anybody who says Irons' performance here is one of his finest, both pre-'Lolita' (and then his career became hit and miss when it became increasingly difficult to tell what to do with him or find enough roles that played to his strengths, that's my take though) and ever. It is graceful and understated but also full of authority and not many people are as good as Irons too when it comes to narration. The other performances are all great, but Irons is the one that the viewer remembers.

In conclusion, really great. 9/10

Tear me open

[Parakh007 · 10/10 · 2 April 2008]

You can't expect anything, but to scream, every time Jeremy Irons character shoplifts. Every time the director, makes you believe that he is going to get caught now, but he gets out easily.

I never felt so sympathetic towards any fictional character, as I felt for him, especially a character who is ripping every one off.

And the director, without any close ups, screams the hell out of you.

Its real horror, you wann shut your eyes, but still want to know, what happens next.

Will he get out of country or not? And hands down,best movie ending ever.

Please give it a watch.

I have never left a comment for any flick, but after watching this one, and the poor response towards this Cinematic classic, I urge you, nope beg you, to please see it.

U can't miss this one if you call yourself a die hard movie buff

Gene Siskel thought this was the best movie of 1982. I didn't feel the same.

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 31 January 2023]

I noticed some time ago that many of the old "At the Movies" shows with Siskel and Ebert are posted on YouTube. Today I watched their Best of 1982 episode and was surprised that Gene Siskel thought "Moonlighting" was the best movie of the year...a film I'd never heard of and which was made very cheaply in the UK. So, I decided to give it a watch.

The story is about four Poles who come to London to work under the table rehabbing an apartment. Why? Well, Polish workers work for a lot less money than English ones and as long as they aren't caught, the scheme will pay off well for everyone. But only one of them (Jeremy Irons) speaks English and the rest spend much of the movie like the Darryls ("Newhart") or Harpo Marx...saying absolutely nothing. As the movie progresses, the more you see that this spokesman is very manipulative...and a most unusual character study of the man.

The story is told VERY economically...with little traditional incidental music and no fancy sets. It looks more like a high quality home movie than a big-time production. I am sure many will dislike the starkness and slow pace of the movie as well as the lack of emotion in the characters. They mostly seem depressed...which is understandable considering what eventually occurs in the picture. But it also makes viewing the film anything but fun.

Overall, this is an okay film which I didn't enjoy nearly as much as Siskel or some of the other reviewers did. Worth seeing? Perhaps...but not if you want a fun or traditional style movie.

That long lost, forgotten, ancient thing called being a man

[suicidea · 9/10 · 2 February 2023]

I was in my teens in the early 1980's when this story takes place, and we were going through hell in my country. But by all accounts, Britain was not really a paradise in the 80's either. You can feel that in every frame, every line of dialogue.

A bunch of Polish builders arrive in London to renovate a house belonging to their boss. The foreman, Nowak, played quietly and brilliantly by Jeremy Irons, is the only one that speaks English. Their money is sufficient only for the tools, building materials and barely surviving.

This is a slow-burner film with every face hiding a deep anxiety, anger or fear, it's a wonderful experience for those who can appreciate true cinema. Irons carries the film single-handedly (often with inner monologue, since there are not many people to talk to) with few facial expressions but each one telling books of emotions.

You can literally taste the frustration of every character: the builders, working hard but not able to enjoy the western life that they finally see but cannot touch, are angry. (There's a very funny scene where one of them wants to buy Coca Cola on their first trip to the supermarket, exclaiming "Coke!" with childish glee, but their money is so limited that they can't afford even that.) The neighbors are angry, because the builders make too much noise. Most of all, Nowak is angry for a lot of reasons, although he never shows it: He misses his wife, and has growing doubts about the intentions of his boss about her. He speaks English, but doesn't always understand the subtleties of what the British people say. He has to deal with the men, the meager finances, the neighbors, the skip workers, and of course the house itself, which looks like it will come down if someone sneezes hard.

Two things change the course of their dull days dramatically: the money obviously won't last, and Nowak starts to come up with little schemes to get extra food from the supermarket using the same receipt. He's quite inept, but lady luck is often on his side. But most importantly, he hears that a military coup has taken place in his homeland. He faces a terrible dilemma: does he tell the men? He must, since they all have families at home, but then the work will never finish, and they really need the income. (There's no way they'll be allowed back, anyway) Or does he not tell them? Then the work may finish on time, but how will he keep the men from finding out themselves, when their weekly phone calls from home suddenly stop?

It's basically a hero story. What's a hero? A Marvel guy in leotards, speaking in one-liners? Or a man who does the right thing, at his own cost, knowing that he will never be appreciated? Nowak does the right thing. He hides the truth about the coup, thus keeping the men from rushing to the border and probably getting arrested. He gets the work done on time. He sees attractive women, but never chases them: they only remind him of how much he loves and misses his wife. He steals, but not from regular people: he only steals from the supermarket, and steals food and basic necessities only. And all the while he keeps his mouth shut. He doesn't "share his journey" or any other nonsensical stuff we love oh so much nowadays. He doesn't expect rewards, admiration, medals, approval, praise. He does the right thing, because he's a man, and that's what a man does. Even the final scene, where he tells the men about the coup and gets beaten by them for hiding the truth so long, is a tribute to this: He doesn't try to justify it, he knows he did the right thing but also hurt his men, so he takes their punches like a man.

As one other reviewer mentioned, it's a movie for the discerning viewer. There's nothing wrong with Marvel movies or action movies, but there's a lot wrong with thinking that's what movies are all about.

An Interesting And Entertaining Film !!!

[JoeKulik · 8/10 · 17 August 2015]

Jerzy Skolimkowski's Moonlighting (1982) Is a pretty good film. It's a film that really has no deep "meaning" or symbolism. It's just good storytelling. Very innovative storyline in a well thought out and well executed film.

Although Jeremy Irons delivered a very good performance in the lead role, the film would've been better with an actual Polish actor who could speak English too. Iron's British accent was not very believable with a character who was supposedly from Poland.

It is sort of weird too that the workers with Nowak had no dialogue in the film. We hear in English what Nowak says about them, but Nowak's coworkers never speak for themselves in the film.

The film tried a little too hard at suspense too. The whole shoplifting scheme by Nowak (Irons) was too overplayed. Nowak's apparent emotional instability was too overplayed as well. Generally, the storyline was innovative enough and interesting enough that it didn't need the extra "baggage" that the screenplay put on the main character Nowak.

It's still a very interesting and engaging bit of storytelling though. The cinematography was good too.

Left Incomplete!

[Sylviastel · 8/10 · 20 January 2007]

The story is told by Novak's point of view. Jeremy Irons learns his Polish to play Novak in this story. He is a Polish electrician traveling with three other works to London, England before martial law was enacted in Poland in 1981. Well, anyway as a Polish American, they are believable but are seen as buffoonish and dumb even by Novak himself. If Novak had told his workers the truth, I think they would have gotten along or understood their dire consequences. Jeremy Irons gives a pretty believable performance as the working Polishman. This film resonates a quarter of a century later because many Polish men and women are legally in London and England seeking to better themselves. I understand the Polish mentality because I grew up with Polish immigrants and the notion of Poles coming just to work and earn more money in America. I could see this story actually happening but I don't think they give the other workers credit because we barely see them act as anything other than fools. It's kind of heartbreaking because Novak goes to so much trouble to spare them from the lack of money and the truth of the situation back home in Poland where he is the only one who knows only what's going on but doesn't tell his employees under his command that Poland is in political turmoil. You can't help but wonder what happens when they do go home. Can you imagine walking 6 hours to Heathrow Airport? You felt pity and foolishness for Novak's actions at the supermarket and the stores. Of course, Poles are good at surviving and I know this from my personal experience. They have survived 2 World Wars and communism. Poles' biggest problem is living and to stop worrying about money. The stereotypes of Poles like Novak trying to stretch each pence is to survive nothing more. They didn't complain about the 30 miles to Heathrow. You felt that they were out of place there. Novak wondered about his wife, Anna, and the possibility that she was probably being seduced by his employer who sent him to London in the first place to fix up the apartment. With telephone services cut down and money tight, Novak does everything he can to protect himself and his men from the dangers of the police, immigration, and even Polish government under martial law. We don't know what happens to them when they go home or if they ever do or if they are stranded in London. There are still many unanswered questions about their predicament.

Working hard for a devastating salary and outcome

[clanciai · 8/10 · 12 September 2023]

How can such a squalid story turn into such a tense thriller, consisting exclusively of petty details? It's an amazing film of a unique kind, actually boiling a tremendous soup on some nails. Jeremy Irons is a Polish electrician who with three co-workers are commissioned to go to London to fix an apartment for their boss. Their time is limited, their money is limited, they have to sleep and eat in that uninhabitable apartment while it is getting fixed, and everything goes wrong. At the same time the military coup takes place in Poland, it is winter 1981, and all contact with Poland, their families and friends, are broken. Jeremy Irons is the only one of them who knows English, and he decides not to worry his companions with any news about Poland, so they are kept in ignorance all the way, until they go home. We can only imagine the upsets that are bound to follow.

The suspense is tremendous, and the plight of Nowak (Jeremy Irons) is not enviable, as he runs out of money and has to resort to extreme survival tricks. It is not a likeable film, but it certainly is interesting and impressing, in offering a close insight into the plight of Polish guest workers in England far away from home, cut off from their families.

An important lesson in history wasted by a silly script

[Witold · 2/10 · 10 December 2007]

One of the previous commentators tells us that Skolimowski wrote the script in one day; this shows. We do not hear any conversations between the workers who are heroes of the film ! We hear sometimes thoughts in the head of the main character. The martial law period in Poland was aimed at crushing the Solidarity movement. It succeeded - for some years. Compare this film with wonderful "The man of iron" directed by Andrzej Wajda who shows the birth of Solidarity. So much could have been done showing how Solidarity was crushed - only the director who is also the script writer had hardly a clue what to do. As another commentator points out, the workers are kept in the dark by their foreman. Seeing on TV the streets of Warsaw with tanks, do they really believe this is normal ? Particularly so since they left Poland when Solidarity was flourishing ... Jeremy Irons is a very good actor; one can presume he wanted to show to the world how Solidarity was crushed. Irons apparently assumed that Skolimowski originating from Poland knows what he is doing; a sad mistake. If you have sympathy for the Solidarity movement and its role in history - as many people around the world do - do not watch this film. You would be terribly disappointed.

This Film Packs A Punch

[shark-43 · 9/10 · 4 April 2024]

There is something about this simple story that truly packs a punch. Jeremy Irons leading a trio of Polish workers to renovate a London townhouse. While they are working in London, the Soviets call martial law on Poland and since the men don't speak a word of English, Irons desperately tries to keep the international news away from the men. He is determined to finish the job even as problems arise and makes the money run out quicker than he expected. Irons gives a terrific performance - his character battling the deep anxiety and betrayal he feels as he hides the news of the violence and strife hitting their homeland. The scenes where Irons is reduced to shoplifting in the local grocery store are very well done and the feeling of dread that grows is palpable. I can see how this film may not be for everyone, but I am a big admirer of MOONLIGHTING.