Will Jake Gyllenhaal ever move on from his depressive, sleepy-eyed persona? Not in Moonlight Mile, that's for damn sure. The Donnie Darko star here plays Joe, all puppy eyes and twitching shoulders as he grieves for his murdered fiancée. In limbo with him are Susan Sarandon and Dustin Hoffman as the girl's parents.
Both are in standout form: Hoffman manic, Sarandon weepy-but-gritty. One of several recent films to deal with grief (Love Liza, The Son's Room, In The Bedroom), this isn't without its poignant moments but suffers whenever the plot's dragged through the courts (Holly Hunter's wasted as a tough-talking DA). It also chomps off more cheese than it can chew in the closing moments, the gushy denouement undercutting the controlled ache of the opening half.
DVD Extras:
Enlightening. The Making Of is the usual love-in (we want bitchiness, not bum-licking) but deleted scenes complement the tone. The stand-out features are a fine pair of commentaries - - one from helmer Brad Silberling (erudite), one with the director plus Gyllenhaal and Hoffman (in-depth, pacey). And listen up for the pussy willow jokes.
