A Walk on the Moon (1999)

Director:

Tony Goldwyn

Writer (WGA):

Pamela Gray (written by)

Release Date:

2 April 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Drama

Plot:

The world of a young housewife is turned upside down when she has an affair with a free-spirited blouse salesman.

Plot Keywords:

Woodstock | Kiss | Housewife | Salesman | Jewish

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Diane Lane	...	Pearl Kantrowitz
Viggo Mortensen	...	Walker Jerome
Liev Schreiber	...	Marty Kantrowitz
Anna Paquin	...	Alison Kantrowitz
Tovah Feldshuh	...	Lillian Kantrowitz
Bobby Boriello	...	Daniel Kantrowitz
Stewart Bick	...	Neil Leiberman
Jess Platt	...	Herb Fogler
Mahée Paiement	...	Mrs. Dymbort (as Mahee Paiement)
Star Jasper	...	Rhoda Leiberman
Ellen David	...	Eleanor Gelfand
Lisa Bronwyn Moore	...	Norma Fogler
Victoria Barkoff	...	Selma Levitsky (as Vicky Barkoff)
Tamar Kozlov	...	Wendy Green
Lisa Jakub	...	Myra Naidell

Also Known As:

Blouse Man (USA) (working title)
Kiss the Sky (USA) (working title)
La tentación (USA: Spanish title)
Over the Moon (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality, language and some drug use.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Malaysia:18SX (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (re-rating) | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | France:U | Singapore:R(A) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Spain:18 | Finland:K-11

Filming Locations:

Arundel, Québec, Canada

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

Diane Lane wanted Viggo Mortensen to be in the film so much that she gave up part of her salary so that the production could afford him.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the Woodstock scene where we see Pearl and Walker standing together there's the announcement, "Good morning! What we had in mind is breakfast in bed for 400,000" and Richie Havens is singing his "on the spot" improvised song, "Freedom" which was actually the last song after his very long (almost three hours playing) musical set as he opened the festival on Friday at 5PM. The breakfast announcement was made by 'comic' Wavy Gravy on Sunday morning describing the "granola" gruel that was created/invented to feed (as many as possible) the 400K attendees at the festival.

Quotes:

Marty Kantrowitz: Sometimes things happen between people that make it impossible for them to stay together.

Movie Connections:

Features King Rat (1965)

Soundtrack:

Cactus Tree

Unfulfilled expectations…?

A touching look at life, human weaknesses, missed dreams, and opportunities.

Having read all of the posted reviews, what I find most interesting is the overall male consensus that the film portrays the husband as the guilty party for his wife's dissatisfaction. Being male, I find it hard to believe that so many of my gender feel so weak and betrayed.

Pearl, doesn't blame her husband and only learns to value and understand him better as also having missed out on some of life's potential. Also, I find it hard to accept the moralizing in the reviews. The film is not condoning the illicit relationship, the idyllic couplings and temporary `escape', are photographed as what we dream we've missed. Are acted out fantasies, to be moralized? Pearl knows, the fantasy can't last and a price will be paid.

Haven't we all missed out from time to time? How many men have fantasized (and acted out) Pearl's actions and expected to be forgiven. Why because they're men??? A well acted, beautifully filmed, and nicely scored remembrance, of the period of self exploration and human frailty.