Review of Reaching for the Moon (2013) by Jack H — 28 Nov 2013
What could have been a run of the mill lesbian love story is elevated not just by the poetry of Elizabeth Bishop and the extraordinary architecture of Lota de Macedo Soares but by the underlying study of how alcoholism destroys interpersonal relationships.
Elizabeth Bishop's geographic to Brazil is brilliantly depicted as a series of deeper and more destructive episodes of fear and self recrimination that leave her in an alcoholic stupor...unable to engage on anything but a superficial level with either her friend Mary or with her charming, passionate, caring lover.
This movie should be seen not for its love story between Elizabeth and Lota but to witness the insidious effects of alcoholism on what could have been and should have been one of the great love stories between two gifted women.
Also, I gave it four stars not just because of the story and the acting but because of the breathtaking beauty of Brazil which is the real co-star of this film.
This review of Reaching for the Moon (2013) was written by Jack H on 28 Nov 2013.
Reaching for the Moon has generally received positive reviews.
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