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The Man in the Moon (1991)

The Man in the Moon (1991)

PG-13

Two sisters learn about love and loss in this surprisingly poignant coming-of-age drama

7.5

Movie

United States of America
English
Drama, Family, Romance
1991
ROBERT MULLIGAN
Bentley Mitchum, Dennis Letts, Emily Warfield
99 min

TLDR

I just love that the point of this love triangle isn’t for Court to choose between the two sisters, it’s for Dani to choose to grow up and not let her feelings for Court ruin her bond with her sister.

What it's about

After both falling in love with their 17-year-old neighbor Court Foster, the strong bond between college-bound Maureen Trant and her younger sister Dani threatens to break.

The take

Crushes seem much more important when you’re young, and when you and your sibling share one, it easily alters your dynamic, with the jealousy, comparison, and the insecurity it can foster. The Man in the Moon tackles this childhood crush with care. Writer Jenny Wingfield and director Robert Mulligan characterize each kid with consideration befitting their ages, with an understanding of the different priorities they would have with a three year age gap, the feelings they would have, and the misunderstandings they would have with each other. And this all works because of Reese Witherspoon, who even then held a screen presence that made her into a star.

What stands out

Reese Witherspoon.

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