The Man in the Moon (1991)
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The story
In the summer of 1957, 14-year-old Danielle "Dani" Trant lives in rural Louisiana with her sister Maureen and their pregnant mother. Dani is a tomboy who prefers the local creek to household chores. Her life changes when she encounters a new neighbor, 17-year-old Court Foster. Initially clashing, the two eventually begin to spend time together, and Dani develops a crush on him. As the summer progresses, the two become close friends, navigating the boundaries of their burgeoning connection while dealing with the realities of their respective family lives and the heat of the Louisiana summer.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In the summer of 1957, 14-year-old Danielle "Dani" Trant lives in Louisiana. She is close to her sister Maureen and helps care for their younger sister while their mother is pregnant. Dani's life changes when she meets 17-year-old Court Foster, a new neighbor. Though they initially dislike each other, they become close friends and share a kiss. However, complications arise when it is revealed that both Dani and Maureen have feelings for Court. While Dani is at the hospital with her mother, Maureen and Court begin a romance. When Dani returns, she discovers the truth and confronts the reality of her sister's betrayal. The tension culminates in a tragic accident where Court is fatally injured in a field. The film concludes with the sisters reconciling and finding comfort in each other as the summer ends.
- First release year
- 1991
- Runtime (minutes)
- 99
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Robert Mulligan
- Writers
- Jenny Wingfield · writer
- Cast and characters
- Reese Witherspoon · Dani; Sam Waterston; Tess Harper; Emily Warfield; Jason London · Court
- Genres
- coming of age; drama
- Themes
- coming of age; first love; sisterhood; family bonds
- Tone and mood
- romantic; dramatic
- Premise and plot tags
- period piece; romance; teen drama
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim and was included in Roger Ebert's list of the Top 10 Films of 1991.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 73 · scale: 100 · review count: 18
- Production trivia
- It was the final film directed by Robert Mulligan before his death in 2008.; The film marked the debut of Reese Witherspoon.; The film was shot by Academy Award-winning cinematographer Freddie Francis.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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