Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna)
(C+ or 2.5/4 stars)
A little Mexican boy, Carlitos (Adrian Alonso), travels to Los Angeles to find his mom, Rosario (Kate del Castillo), after his grandma passes away in 'Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna)' a Spanish-speaking film directed by Patricia Riggen. Rosario works in the U.S. illegally so that she can provide a better life for her 9 yr. old. But Carlitos misses her so much that he's willing to embark on a dangerous journey to find her. They 'both' hope to be together again. But they're both going about it in different ways. Though the film is extremely well acted and perceptive, it also has its cliched & cloying tendencies.
4 yrs. ago, Rosario crossed the border illegally into California to earn $$ for a better life for her little boy. She misses him desperately, calling him every Sunday at 10 am from a pay phone in Cali. But today, she detects a tone in Carlitos' voice. He's getting annoyed that his mommy can't see him; feeling abandoned. Why wouldn't he feel that? His dad had run out on him as a baby; and now his mom isn't around. Only after the somewhat expected death of his grandma does Carlitos decide to leave Mexico to find Rosario. The rest of the film plays out over the course of a 1 week period ...
Over in Cali, Rosario is finding it hard to hold a job. And her internal struggles come to the surface. Should she return home ... defeated? Or should she just marry the gentile Paco (Gabriel Porras) & gain the legal status which would allow Carlitos' entry to America? She doesn't want either to happen, but will she be forced to choose one? Meanwhile, Carlitos' road trip to America is hampered by border patrol problems, as well as running into some intimidating characters. Luckily, he finds an unlikely friend in Enrique (Engenio Derbez). Will the 2 of them get to Rosario before and/or 'if' she decides to return to Mexico? As a 4 yr. old, Carlitos had been told by Rosario to gaze at the moon; that when he was lonely, to know that she'd also be looking at the moon ... and thinking of him.
For her 1st film, director Patricia Riggen does a very good job. The subject matter (illegal immigration) is highly controversial. But Riggen puts the controversy on the back burner; and instead, tries to make this a human drama. I liked its sensitivity, and the emotional impact it leaves. Whether you're for or against the heated subject matter, you can still enjoy the film as a son-trying-to-reunite-with-his-mom drama. After getting to know the characters & their situations, we settle in for a familiar feeling, but very well acted event. All the actors display courage, determination, joy, & sorrow. And Adrian Alonso is QUITE the child actor; really, one of the finest performances (child or adult) of the year, thus far. You know, this is the kind of movie where you can bet that a faction of audiences will be clapping in the end. It's a decent 'let's escape from the world' movie to go to.
That said, there are a few minor issues I have with the film. First, I didn't expect 95% of it to be in Spanish. I certainly don't care, I just wonder if other people would (not knowing beforehand). But more pertinent of issues, the movie itself is very cliched; it's as by-the-numbers as it comes. And a storytelling technique which allows us to see how unaware the mom & son are of each other completely negates the plot of tension. It allows the ending to be 'complete', but also as manipulatively saccharine as possible. Some vital elements could have used some more dimension. 'Under the Same Moon' is harmless & well-intentioned. But some clumsy scenes, stereotypical situations, & a common knowledge 'plight of the illegals' component takes this movie a notch below 'greatness'.
4 yrs. ago, Rosario crossed the border illegally into California to earn $$ for a better life for her little boy. She misses him desperately, calling him every Sunday at 10 am from a pay phone in Cali. But today, she detects a tone in Carlitos' voice. He's getting annoyed that his mommy can't see him; feeling abandoned. Why wouldn't he feel that? His dad had run out on him as a baby; and now his mom isn't around. Only after the somewhat expected death of his grandma does Carlitos decide to leave Mexico to find Rosario. The rest of the film plays out over the course of a 1 week period ...
Over in Cali, Rosario is finding it hard to hold a job. And her internal struggles come to the surface. Should she return home ... defeated? Or should she just marry the gentile Paco (Gabriel Porras) & gain the legal status which would allow Carlitos' entry to America? She doesn't want either to happen, but will she be forced to choose one? Meanwhile, Carlitos' road trip to America is hampered by border patrol problems, as well as running into some intimidating characters. Luckily, he finds an unlikely friend in Enrique (Engenio Derbez). Will the 2 of them get to Rosario before and/or 'if' she decides to return to Mexico? As a 4 yr. old, Carlitos had been told by Rosario to gaze at the moon; that when he was lonely, to know that she'd also be looking at the moon ... and thinking of him.
For her 1st film, director Patricia Riggen does a very good job. The subject matter (illegal immigration) is highly controversial. But Riggen puts the controversy on the back burner; and instead, tries to make this a human drama. I liked its sensitivity, and the emotional impact it leaves. Whether you're for or against the heated subject matter, you can still enjoy the film as a son-trying-to-reunite-with-his-mom drama. After getting to know the characters & their situations, we settle in for a familiar feeling, but very well acted event. All the actors display courage, determination, joy, & sorrow. And Adrian Alonso is QUITE the child actor; really, one of the finest performances (child or adult) of the year, thus far. You know, this is the kind of movie where you can bet that a faction of audiences will be clapping in the end. It's a decent 'let's escape from the world' movie to go to.
That said, there are a few minor issues I have with the film. First, I didn't expect 95% of it to be in Spanish. I certainly don't care, I just wonder if other people would (not knowing beforehand). But more pertinent of issues, the movie itself is very cliched; it's as by-the-numbers as it comes. And a storytelling technique which allows us to see how unaware the mom & son are of each other completely negates the plot of tension. It allows the ending to be 'complete', but also as manipulatively saccharine as possible. Some vital elements could have used some more dimension. 'Under the Same Moon' is harmless & well-intentioned. But some clumsy scenes, stereotypical situations, & a common knowledge 'plight of the illegals' component takes this movie a notch below 'greatness'.