Review of Moonstruck (1987) by Tom C — 07 Dec 2009

Moonstruck can definitely be appreciated for its quirky deviations from the otherwise tedious romantic comedy blueprint. Loretta, as the heroine, is motivated to marry less for her own livelihood than for a cure to her mid-life ennui, but the man she initially chooses almost seems to exacerbate that ennui. Ronny seems to teach Loretta passion, even as Loretta teaches Ronny a few things about adulthood and maturity. While Moonstruck boasts some of the same old romcom ingredients, the vivid characters spice up the picture and give the film its Shakespearean-like tenor (consider some of the comedies).

The characters would not be so vivid without some of the most notable ingredients of all. Cher won an Oscar for her performance, and it is simply because she makes Loretta all at once world-weary and charming yet still able to be surprised. She's the window into this slice of life, and without her very organic and grounded performance as a woman acclimating to the changes in her surroundings and her personal attitude, Moonstruck would have been very dull indeed.

All of the actors did an amazing job, though, and formed a terrific ensemble that was delightful to watch. Nicolas Cage was actually quite funny, and Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia had pitch-perfect delivery in their respective parental roles; Dukakis' wizened mother (for which she also won an Oscar) with an acerbic wit was easily a favorite, while Gardenia kept his philandering father from descending into despicable depths and gave him a slight lovable-but-naughty oaf undercurrent that made him endearing.

The script was wonderful (it also won an Oscar) and provided this ensemble and director Norman Jewison some great material with which to work. This family and this odd little romance was truly given all three dimensions; Moonstruck has a lot of heart but not only from its romance side. The film is as much a story about family and the ties that bind than it is about the unpredictability of love.

Still, the film was not as explicitly funny as advertised. The scene in the Castorini kitchen, in which the confessions start to fly, prompts many a witty barb from its in-house peanut gallery and prompted this viewer to laugh out loud on a couple of occasions, but this was the only time throughout watching the film. There were some chuckles to be elicited from Dukakis and Cher (the famous "snap out of it" line is far funnier in context), but the rest of the film didn't boast as much comedy as all of the rankings would leave a potential viewer to believe. Also, this film would really be most meaningful to a woman in Loretta's situation (or in her parents' situation), who is faced with certain life prospects and encounters new information that influences her choices. Yet, the story is cute and contains a breath of originality in its execution of an otherwise formulaic concept in its writing and performances.