In The Moon and Back, Lydia is on a path to nowhere, or so it seems. When her father tragically dies, her life goes on pause. Now, as she is about to finish up her senior year, she embarks on a project to make a movie. This project becomes more like an odyssey. Lydia’s inspiration comes from finding her late father’s unfinished screenplay. In a coming-of-age story, audiences are treated to a charming cast and sentimental tale. While the film spends much of its time on the quest to make a film, it is as much about personal discovery. Still, there is a delightful blend of comedy and drama that gives the movie an oomph that many films of this genre sometimes lack.
Lydia Gilbert (Isabel May) is a senior lacking direction or purpose. After the death of her father (Nat Faxon), she dives into isolation and withdraws from life. A chance discovery on an old computer finds an unfinished script written by her Dad—a big-budget and seemingly magnum-opus-in-the-making. Dubbed “Space Chronicles,” in a beautiful and hilarious send-up to Star Wars, Dune, and Star Trek, Lydia seeks to challenge herself and make the script into a film. Partnering with her childhood friend Simon (Miles Gutierrez-Riley), they form a quasi-production and try to make the unrealized movie a reality. This journey allows Lydia to discover an untapped potential and to move on with her life.
In the film, Lydia utilizes a retro VHS camcorder and pocket change to realize this endeavor. It is a rag-tag band of students and wannabe actors who team with her to craft the project. Film buffs will appreciate the homages to other movies and independent films. Guerrilla filmmaking is at the heart of the project. Watching a group of students try to make the impossible possible is marvelous. The Moon and Back crafts richly developed characters as it does a salute to the art of filmmaking.
As a wannabe filmmaker growing up, I have a particular affection for the scenes in the film showing the fun and temperamental struggles of trying to make a movie in the backyard with family and friends. Anyone who has picked up a camcorder, even to goof around, will see themselves in Lydia. There is a narrative sharpness with echoes of family drama, pain, discovery, and acceptance.
In addition to the narrative strengths, the casting is a massive sell on the journey. Even the supporting players, like Lydia’s guidance counselor, Mr. Martin (P.J. Byrne), enhance the story. However, this film’s central casting of Lydia and her mother, Diane (Missi Pyle), is where the sun rises, so to speak. Their pairing of a fractious mother/daughter relationship is void of the usual parent/child dynamic. Never are the fights or bonds forced or inauthentic. The film is layered with a beautiful sincerity that tells a story that is much less about making a movie but finding the voice to tell one’s own story.
Personal growth is at the core of this film, as is the case with any coming-of-age story. Director Leah Bleich crafts a story void of the usual cliches that often make a film like this feel heavy-handed or melodramatic. There are no stock characters, specifically Lydia, who has a distinct personality. Much of this is thanks to May’s lovable quirks and parlances, which create a three-dimensional character. There is never a one-note measure to her character. She undergoes a beautiful arc and becomes her own person.
The Moon and Back is a sweet triumph that is never overboard with dramatic flares. The film centers on a tender story celebrating living for today and letting go of yesterday. The movie juxtaposes between the happy endings we create on screen and the endings we create in real life. The film accomplishes a lot by believing in its characters and following a story to a satisfying and authentic ending.
The Moon and Back will be available On Demand and on Digital platforms on April 23, 2024, courtesy of Lionsgate.
The Moon and Back is a sweet triumph that is never overboard with dramatic flares. The film centers on a tender story celebrating living for today and letting go of yesterday. The movie juxtaposes between the happy endings we create on screen and the endings we create in real life. The film accomplishes a lot by believing in its characters and following a story to a satisfying and authentic ending.
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GVN Rating 8
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Writing & podcasting. Movies are more than entertainment; movies are a way of life.
Favorite Genres include: horror, thrillers, drama. Three Favorite Films: The Dark Knight, Halloween & Jaws.