highdesert420-685-360885
My good friend Jerry Watson turned me on to this movie after he bought it on LaserDisc. (remember those?) This is definitely Sam Rockwell's best work, and possibly John Turturro's as well. I've seen all of their movies and they're great in everything. It's not a mainstream action-packed thriller with explosions and plot twists, it's just a feel-good drama with a simple story line. Obviously not for everyone. The scenery is fantastic. The script is well written with lots of subtle situational humor. Great supporting cast, especially Lisa Blount's and Katherine Keener's characters. Even the unlikable characters are likable, if that makes any sense. (No spoilers) The movie is about an electrical engineer named Al Fountain (John Turturro) who is a perfectly straight, OCD type of guy who starts to see things moving in reverse after discovering his first gray hair. He's having a mid- life crisis and doesn't know or understand it. By chance he meets his polar opposite "The Kid" (Sam Rockwell) who's a free spirit and lives off-the-grid by no rules whatsoever. The Kid may be just what Al Fountain needs.
dantown1
I avoided this movie at the time because it featured John Turturro. Boy was I wrong. This movie is a fine well-crafted story about-well nothing much. Just saving a man's life from utter meaningless. John Turturro plays an annoying executive who decides to lie to his wife-take a road trip-and perhaps find the meaning of life amongst a bunch of-well, "white trash". You could call it a Hero's Journey if you'all like. As soon as The Kid(Sam Rockwell) shows up, in his grimy buckskin outfit- this movie takes off. Screenwriters have a name for this: the inciting incident-whatever. Asking Sam Rockwell to play a hippie-backwoods kid with little future is like asking pigs to search for acorns. It just works. The writing and acting are just so relaxed and yet vital. This movie breathes. It flows. It floats-like Floatie Dupre(Catherine Keener) gently downstream-in the river of life.It is lazy. It just makes you grin. Ultimately, this is the story of one man, The Kid, reaching out to another man, Al Fountain(Turturro), in the confusing world we inhabit. This is a light movie-or rather a movie filled with light. This is one of Turturro's, and Rockwell's finest movies. Catherine Keener glows as a somewhat-dejected faerie-queen. This is a Hero's Journey, into the heart of not Southern darkness, but Southern kindness and Southern joy.A classic film-If you ask me.
Greensleeves
This is a simply superb movie, made with great craftsmanship, that repays repeated viewings. Al Fountain (John Turturro) a disciplined, dedicated man is approaching a mid life crisis when, through a twist of fate, he meets wild and free spirited Kid (Sam Rockwell) and begins a journey of self discovery. Spending several days together with the unconventional Kid, Al will finally discover and experience all the feelings and emotions he had denied himself. Turturro and Rockwell are absolute perfection in their respective roles and a complete joy to watch. The cinematography is superb and the music score fabulous yet never overpowering. The great accomplishment of this film is that it captures something elusive about being human, something intangible, just like the 'moonlight' in the box given to Al by the Kid on their parting.
graham clarke
Director Tom DiCillo has all the attributes required for a top indie film maker. He displays a sharp humorous edge coupled with an all round smartness. But his advantage over his peers is that his works are permeated with a genuine and very winning romanticism (realized best in "Real Blonde").The premise of "Box of Moonlight" is indeed a romantic one. Two complete opposites who by all accounts would steer clear of each other are instinctively drawn together when destiny wills a chance encounter. They will learn important life lessons from each other and part the richer. It is in effect a delightful spin on the buddy movie.John Turturro and Sam Rockwell are the least likely buddies one could imagine. Turturro plays the rigid, time obsessive and orderly engineer against Rockwell's wild, irresponsible back to nature outcast. Turturro's Al Fountain senses much is not well in his life and subconsciously perceives that Rockwell's "The Kid" might just be what he is so much in need of; someone to release those parts of his personality which adulthood and its encumbering responsibilities has suffocated. "The Kid" indeed accomplishes this in a variety of ways including coaxing Al to reach his inner child in the wonderful tomato throwing scene and luring him into an touching adolescent one night stand with Floatie played beautifully by Catherine Keener, a DiCillo favorite. By the end of the movie Al will return home a far better husband and father.Just how Rockwell's "The Kid" will be effected is less clear. He is clearly a severely deluded character functioning more as a symbol rather than a credible person. In lesser hands it could have come off ludicrous, but Rockwell nails it perfectly in what would be his break through role. There's a palpable chemistry between the buddies which is so vital for making this story work."Box of Moonlight" is a modern day fable, a cautionary tale reminding us not to allow adulthood smother us. It's a tale told with tremendous charm and a movie to be cherished.
AD
