DVD
REVIEW: UNDER THE SAME MOON
06/12/08
SYNOPSIS:
Even across thousands of miles, the special bond between a
mother and son can never be broken. It gives hope to
Carlitos, a scrappy nine-year-old boy whose mother, Rosario,
has gone to America to build a better life for both of them.
While Rosario struggles for a brighter future, fate forces
Carlitos’ hand and he embarks on an extraordinary journey to
find her. Critics and audiences alike have praised this
inspirational and heartwarming tale of a mother’s devotion,
a son’s courage and a love that knows no borders.
REVIEW: If you have
a heart, or if you’re a parent, or if you’re Hispanic, there
is a very good chance that this movie will touch you. Some
may say that there is too much crying going on in the movie,
but if you put yourself in the shoes of the characters you
might think that they don’t cry enough. This film is an
emotional and realistic portrayal of the human condition as
seen from both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Even though
the people on either side of the border are worlds apart,
there is an incredibly strong bond between them, especially
between a mother and a son as this film demonstrates. This
is a story of separation, desperation, needs, and sacrifice.
The side effects are greed, human trafficking, and a
willingness to do almost anything to accomplish what would
normally be the simplest of goals. The acting is as strong
as the story thanks to a well staffed cast. The bulk of the
movie is in Spanish with subtitles while some parts are in
English (something to keep in mind if reading subtitles
really bothers you). I do understand Spanish so I’m at an
advantage and I’ll tell you that this movie unexpectedly
overwhelmed me.
The combination of the story, the acting, and the realism
along with a side order of decent cinematography is what
makes this movie special. The fact that it deals with the
separation of a mother and her young child is what makes it
emotional. This young child, Carlitos, is played by Adrian
Alonso and he successfully stole the show. He arguably gives
the best performance. You might remember him as Zorro’s son,
Joaquin, in The Legend of Zorro. If you have seen that movie
then you know just how good an actor Adrian is. His
characters come across with infectious personalities and
sharp attitudes that demand your heart’s attention. Kate del
Castillo plays Rosario, Carlitos’ mom, with passion and
authenticity. More popularly known in the Latin community
for her roles in Spanish TV soap operas spanning many years,
she has grown in maturity and talent with her vast acting
experience. To be honest with you, I was expecting a
performance like the one she gave for this picture. She was
right on. It was nice to see America Ferrera in the picture
with a small but well done role as an amateur human
smuggler. Her first smuggling attempt will most probably
leave a bad taste in her mouth.
The worse words that these “illegals” can ever hear in their
paranoid lives are “La Migra” (immigration officials). It’s
worse than cursing. To top that off, they have to figure out
who can they trust. I trust that Director Patricia Riggen,
after seeing her product, has a very promising future. So,
no matter what your position is on immigration, if you give
this tear jerker extraordinaire a chance it will pretty
accurately depict the kind of life these people lead and the
sacrifices they make as they struggle to improve their lives
at practically any cost. Try not to watch the movie with
political eyes but with humane eyes and you will enjoy it
more.
Movie
Review By Cine Marcos
cinemarcos@smartcine.com
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VIDEO:
1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
AUDIO:
Spanish
5.1 (Dolby Digital).
Subtitles - English French Spanish - Optional
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"The Making of “La Misma Luna”: This is a
very good featurette covering all the details on how this
great story was made. It includes comments from the cast ,
producers and Director Patricia Riggen (24:04)
“The Murals of “Under
the Same Moon” This is ashort featurette
about the artists behind the East LA murals presented in the
film (5:24)
RATING BREAK DOWN:
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