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Cast: Isabel May, Missi Pyle, Nat Faxon, Miles Guitierrez-Riley, P.J. Byrne
Premise: One year after her father’s death, high school senior Lydia Gilbert feels completely lost… until she discovers something unexpected: “Space Chronicles,” the screenplay for a $200M+ space opera -- written by her dad. Equipped with just a VHS camera and pocket change, Lydia decides to make this script a reality.
The Moon & Back poster
Matt Hurt
Leah Bleich's The Moon & Back is the endlessly charming story of Lydia (Isabel May), a high school senior who decides to make the cheesy science fiction film her father was writing before his sudden death. The film opens with a collection of home movies that chronicle Lydia's father's (Nat Faxon) love and affection for his family in a life cut tragically short by cancer. Picking up a year later, Lydia and her mother are preparing to move when Lydia discovers the space opera screenplay her father was working on in secret before his death.
What begins as a means to avoid confronting the decisions she's facing regarding her future quickly becomes an artistic expression of the grief Lydia has mostly been avoiding for the year. The ensuing amateur filmmaking hijinks give way to a well-drawn road toward catharsis and more open communication between Lydia and those close to her.
The Moon & Back tackles grief and insecurity about the future with a well-balanced script that assesses Lydia's emotional core but doesn't allow her grief to excuse negative behavior. In particular, her singular focus on the film project causes plenty of rifts with those she has conscripted to help with the project. As a dictatorial focus emerges for Lydia behind the camera, her friends make their frustrations known. This yields an expected but well-earned catharsis for Lydia as she works toward honoring her father and embracing her future.
The film's keen eye for comedy gives the audience a wonderful reprieve from the heavier theme of loss that runs throughout it. The low-budget amateur filmmaking sequences hold tons of charm without taking away from the bigger story of a young girl processing her grief. The balance between these two tones is handled well and with a level of respect that shines through the screen.
It's not until Lydia is confronted with having to create an ending for her father's movie that the true catharsis can begin. As her biggest and most severe conflict bubbles to the surface with her mother, Lydia is forced to confront her behavior and consider what her mother has been going through in this time of grief. This personal growth into the land of empathy brings about a wholly satisfying conclusion to both characters.
In its aim to highlight the cathartic nature of creativity, The Moon & Back succeeds by knowing the story it wants to tell and doing so with a keen eye for drama and comedy. The result is a satisfying filmgoing experience with strong performances by Isabel May and Missi Pile aided by a strong supporting cast.
Matt Hurt is the creator of ObsessiveViewer.com. He also created, hosts, and produces The Obsessive Viewer, Anthology, and Tower Junkies podcasts. He is a member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association and lives in Indianapolis with his cat Pizza Roll.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
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