SYNOPSIS: UNDER THE SAME MOON (LA MISMA LUNA) earned a standing ovation at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival for its poignant, emotionally rich tale of a mother and son living on opposite sides of the U.S.-Mexico border connected by an enduring love. In her feature film debut, director Patricia Riggen weaves their parallel stories into a vividly textured tapestry of yearning and devotion that portrays a child’s courage and tenacity, and a mother’s sacrifice.

Nine-year-old Carlos aka Carlitos (Adrián Alonso, THE MASK OF ZORRO) is one of the countless children left behind by parents who come to the U.S. seeking a way to provide for their families. His mother, Rosario (Kate del Castillo, BORDERTOWN) has worked illegally as a domestic in Los Angeles for four years, sending money home to her son and mother to give them a chance at a better life.

When the death of his grandmother leaves young Carlitos alone, he takes his fate into his own hands and heads north across the border to find his mother. As he journeys from his rural Mexican village to the L.A. barrio, Carlitos faces seemingly insurmountable obstacles with a steely determination and unfettered optimism that earn him the grudging respect and affection of a reluctant protector, a middle-aged migrant worker named Enrique (Eugenio Derbez, PADRE NUESTRO).

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.

Review By Cine Marcos 
cinemarcos@smartcine.com

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