Moonlight Serenade

Since being a big fan of Amy Adams I just watched this one without knowing anything about it and was pleasantly surprised. I normally don't like movies with this kind of musical theme. I like that they keep the script simple and realistic and most characters felt genuinely real.

A different approach was also the use of the songs in the film. They weren't set up like individual numbers like in most musicals, instead they came on and of without warning and in a somewhat repetitive way but it really gave another depth to the mood of the film.

The only thing seem a little lowbudget was the camera-work (mostly tripod shots) and the office sets who were very studio looking in a bad way.

Finally Amy Adams shines like always and really show how versatile she is as an actress being able to play both drama and comedy.

I confess I found this film irresistible. It's primarily a vehicle for a terrific score, consisting almost entirely of the superb performances and arrangements of Joey DeFrancesco (Frank D). What a pleasant showcase for classics from sorely missed show tunes and jazz of the 40's and 50's, all capably rendered by Amy Adams and Scott G. Anderson. DeFrancesco, incidentally, not only plays the Hammond B, but also piano and trumpet in the movie score (though his Frank D is seen performing only on the Hammond B in the film itself). The film seems to have been somewhat inspired by Steve Koves' Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), though it's not up to the outstanding production values of that film, or the first-rate performances of Jeff and Beau Bridges and (especially) Michelle Pfeiffer, who received an Academy Award nomination. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed Moonlight Serenade for ALL the reasons that others who posted here have already pointed out. It was great to hear these wonderful, time-tested classical popular and jazz compositions again. I own the film and would love to find the sound track, but no luck so far.

With all the violence, sex and murder films plus the giant screen spectacles, it is refreshing to find this small miracle of a film. I guess I must be the only one to like this, reading the other critics. I found this by accident and am glad I did. I became involved with the characters and their lives. Okay, they seemed small according to turmoils in today's films, but how nice to see a happy ending. And to hear pleasant music without the rock sounds. A very sophisticated movie with fine acting by all. Superb directing from Giancarlo Tallarico who also wrote the book of which Jonathan Abrahams brilliantly turned into a screenplay.

Amy Adams was perfectly cast as the pretty young girl in search of a singing career. Scott G. Anderson was the perfect match for her as a young financial adviser with his own torments. Togehter they brought genuine emotions to the screen. Adams said more with her eyes than any words could express and Anderson's breakdown scene at his mother's piano was honest and heartbreaking. Bravo to each of them. JB Blanc brought the tension as the boss of the finance company and Harriet Sansom Harris was thoroughly delightful in the role of Anderson's assistant who brought some fine acting moments as well as a fine singing voice to the fold.

This was an excellent film and I commend the producers, director and writers as well as all the cast for treating us to this delightful little valentine of a movie. Thank you.

Amy Adams' exceptional singing voice is just about the only thing that Moonlight Serenade has to sell. I would never expect greatness from a 90 minute, indie flick that did not get commercial release, but this one left me disappointed. Amy Adams is not exactly a cheap b-movie star. If I had managed to cast her, I would make sure I gave her a script that was worth her time. I would not be so lazy as to resort to a recycled formula, which this is. The story is also sappy, superficial and it feels over rushed. Even the music numbers are too short. If Enchanted was too sappy for you, I hate to say it, but you won't get any luckier here.

This is a small scale romance between two musicians who lead different lives. The two are not so much victims of circumstance but rather of coincidence (and not the good kind). The story doesn't even attempt to go into depth with them, preferring to offer a couple of lame time-lapse montage from which we are meant to assume that they are making progress in their relationship. But as a lawyer will tell ya, nothing is true without the facts, and we cannot believe it till we see it. There are also a few show stopping numbers, which take place outside the context of the story. Seeing as this is not a musical nor a fairy tale, it feels equally lame (As if people break out into song in real life).

All that Moonlight Serenade has to offer are a few segments of Jazz tunes (and maybe one complete tune), scattered throughout a feeble love story, which has been done before (and I have a feeling it will be done again for years to come)

I watched this film because I thought it would be a classic Amy Adams movie. Wow, this movie is so bad on so many levels it staggers the imagination. It is poorly constructed for one, also the script and the acting is just awful. But hey even Johnny Depp has a slew of bad films under his belt. The upside of this movie would be Amy singing, and even on that score I believe better songs could have been chosen. Amy is of course beautiful to see and if you are a die-hard fan of hers you will probably watch this title no matter what, just don't expect too much. I wish I could have found more to like but it was just painful to watch. I recommend Sunshine Cleaning or Doubt.