Serious Moonlight (2009)

A high-powered attorney duct tapes her adulterous husband to the toilet ... right before their home is invaded by burglars.

Director:

Cheryl Hines

Writer:

Adrienne Shelly

Stars:

Meg Ryan, Timothy Hutton, Justin Long

Cast

Cast overview:
Meg Ryan	...	Louise
Timothy Hutton	...	Ian
Justin Long	...	Todd
Kristen Bell	...	Sara
Derek Carter	...	Man #1
Bill Parks	...	Man #2
Kimberlee Peterson	...	Trashy Girl
Nathan Dean	...	Detective
Andy Ostroy	...	Police Officer

Storyline

Louise wants to find a way to reconnect with her husband, Ian, who is divorcing her after many years of marriage. But when she surprises him at their country home, she is more than slightly dismayed that the roses and romantic set-up are not for her but for his much younger mistress. Louise takes matters into her own hands, and abducts Ian duct-taping him to the toilet, where he must admit to his true feelings and he is unable to leave her. Things grow exceedingly awry for everybody when a burglar shows up at their house, and then everybody must discover and admit to their true feelings.

---

Plot Keywords:

toilet | duct tape | attorney | mistress | marriage | 

---

Taglines:

a love/hate comedy.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some threatening behavior

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 December 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Armadilhas do Amor

Filming Locations:

GMT Studios - 5701-5751 Buckingham Parkway, Culver City, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$11,636 (USA) (4 December 2009)

Gross:

$25,137 (USA) (25 December 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Night and Day Pictures, All For A Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The ending is dedicated to actor and director Adrienne Shelly who was murdered in 2006 when she caught a man, who had broken into her office, stealing money from her purse.

---

Goofs

In the scene where Sara arrives and Louise has to tape Ian, the tape almost touches his left side-burn while, when coming back to the house the tape now is far from it.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Louise: [on the phone] Michelle.
Michelle: Yeah?
Louise: I threw heck to the wind and drove up to the country a day early, want to surprise Ian, spend the long weekend with him. So, I need you to call Metler and tell him that the papers were filed yesterday and everything is fine, and I will talk to him first thing on Monday morning. Then call my dentist, cancel my appointment, and reschedule it for Tuesday afternoon. And then cancel my meetings for the rest of the day. You know what to do, that's why you ...

---

Connections

Referenced in Late Show with David Letterman: Episode #17.30 (2009)

---

Soundtracks

"The Coconut Song"
Written by Adrienne Shelly and Andrew Hollander
Performed by Meg Ryan

User Reviews

Ian: Louise, why am I duct taped to the f****** CHAIR?!?

Louise: Because, my love, you are going to stay there until we work things out.

And so begins this drama between a married couple with no children, he a corporate office employee, she a successful lawyer.

I agree with most all previous posters mentioned. To pull off a story that will keep you interested until the very end with just 3 major players is quite a feat. The strength lies, of course, in the powerful dialogue between them. But more than that, this story is not just a flick on failed relationships, but on WHY they fail. Luoise (Meg Ryan) cannot and will not accept the fact that Ian (Timothy Hutton), her husband, wishes to leave her. She cannot accept he has fallen in love with a lovely, younger woman. But the truth is not so simple. If you listen carefully past the hurt locker, you will hear reasons, good ones, as to why these things happen. The fault is not entirely the wife's, but it is not entirely the husband's either. What happens is that in most cases, problems never get talked about and discussed. In this story, events unfolded in such a way they were forced to.

But then again, we have the usual guilt/blame game. It took both of them quite some time to accept where they had failed, Louise much longer than Ian. In the middle, you have Sara (Kristen Bell), who obviously loved Ian and went to lengths to fight for him. In the end, as they say, may the best man (or woman) win, but if you notice carefully, there was something lacking in Ian when these scenes were being played out, something which makes you think , "Ok, now, seriously, are you gonna be a man about this or what?" I couldn't help feeling sorry for the girl - she was obviously sincere and showed it without compunction.

However, just when you think you've got it all figured out and you see the pieces falling into place, well here comes the final scene, where you say, "What? what just happened...hello? what was that? run that by me again?" and you feel like I did, like the wind had just been knocked out of me and I sat staring at the screen wondering what I saw. Ingenious! I'm sitting here writing this and still turning this scene over and over in my mind, contemplating the different possible meanings.

I don't agree the movie is a waste of time or disappointing. Don't think this is another exercise at flogging the dead horse of marital what-have-you problems. No, this is an ingenious and well-written story, a bit off the regular path, yes, and bizarre in some ways, but well done. I don't think anyone's acting was poor either. The humorous parts made me laugh, and the sad ones made me shake my head in sorrow.

Watch it and enjoy yourself! Well worth it!!