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It's been a full two decades since Meg Ryan emerged from a series of background girlfriend roles to become America's Sweetheart in 1989's "When Harry Met Sally…", but in this strangely conceived 2009 comedy, she still has that undeniable twinkle in spite of all the age-defying cosmetic alterations to her face. The screenplay is the last work of the late actress Adrienne Shelly, who wrote, directed, and co-starred in 2007's agreeably idiosyncratic "Waitress", and what they have in common is her supple dexterity in balancing the off-kilter elements of her stories into something deeper. This time, she takes a darker, less whimsical path in exposing the insidious nature of a marriage that has dissipated from a lack of communication. Her "Waitress" co-star Cheryl Hines ("Curb Your Enthusiasm") takes the helm in her directorial debut, and her lack of experience may attribute to the fact that it feels more like a filmed stage play despite Nancy Schreiber's expert cinematography.

The brief story focuses on married couple, Louise and Ian, on a day when they unexpectedly cross paths at their bucolic vacation home. A high-powered fortyish attorney, she comes home to find her house showered romantically with rose petals and Ian writing a Dear Jane letter to her. He has decided after thirteen years of marriage that he wants a divorce, so he can rendezvous with his 24-year-old girlfriend Sarah in Paris. Unwilling to accept that her marriage has gone kaput, Louise inadvertently knocks him out with a flower pot and takes advantage of his unconsciousness in order to duct tape him to a chair until he relents. This is the beginning of a roundelay in which they spar about the merits of their marriage. Ian spends most of the 84-minute running time stuck on the toilet as he faces one humiliation after another. Even though Louise exhibits vaguely sociopathic behavior, she does not represent the only threat to Ian.

There is a nasty twist to the story in the form of an interloper that turns their vituperative cat-and-mouse game into a game of survival. The open ending doesn't quite satisfy, although the implications that it raises lends texture to what has gone on before. Ryan acquits herself well as Louise, and although it's not remarkable work, it shows that the actress could thrive into middle-age with her fizzy spirit intact. She manages to give heart to the tenacious hold her character has on her flailing marriage. In a welcome big-screen return as Ian, Timothy Hutton does what he can under a lot of duct tape in a mostly passive role with moments of vented exasperation, while Kristin Bell ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall") shows surprising grit as Sarah, especially toward the end when the women grapple on the bathroom floor. Justin Long provides a menacing edge to the smallish role of the lawn-mowing low-life. More than Hines' workmanlike direction, Shelly's somewhat uneven screenplay offers enough dark elements to make the contrived set-up worth accepting for the sake of the unfolding story she wanted to tell.

"Serious Moonlight" deserves to be seen for a number of reasons.

First, it is written by the late Adrienne Shelly (best known for "Waitress" (2007)). After her death, her husband set up the Adrienne Shelly Foundation to help women pursue their film-making dreams. Money earned from her films goes towards this foundation.

Second, there are a lot of elements in this film that are pretty original which seems to be a hard feat to accomplish for most films today.

Third, the interesting casting choices, which give us the pleasure of seeing Meg Ryan and Timothy Hutton in mature, grown up roles but acting childishly-stupid with glimmers of maturity and wisdom. After seeing this movie, I believe they are the only actors who could pull it off so beautifully. Add to this, Justin Long in a funny and very surprising role, and then the adorable Kristin Bell who for once is actually playing a character less-accomplished than the average woman her age.

"Serious Moonlight" is a romantic comedy of sorts where we have a husband divorcing his wife so he can be with his younger mistress. Include a couple criminal activities and all plans get thrown out the window. Every turn in this movie is funny, original, thoughtful, and romantic - in its own weird way.

I recommend spending your money on "Serious Moonlight". Rest in Peace, Adrienne.

Serious Moonlight won Best Film at the Orlando Film Festival. To be brutally honest, I think winning had much more to do with leads Meg Ryan and Timothy Hutton, along with director Cheryl Hines, being far and away the most well-known participants, than it did with the quality (or relative lack thereof) of the film itself. Obviously, SERIOUS was adapted from or inspired by a play. Set in a house, in 5 brief acts; nearly half of the on-screen time is spent in the bathroom, of all places! The basic premise seems like a sure-fire winner: Not-so-successful, burned out husband decides to leave much more successful lawyer wife before she gets home from vacation, for his ditsy, twenty-something secretary. Returning home a day early, wife (Meg Ryan) catches hubby(Timothy Hutton) sneaking out in Stealth Mode. This apparently transports wife into the Twilight Zone, because, from that moment on, she exhibits the most un-attorney-like comportment imaginable! Totally losing touch with reality, she decides to "kidnap" husband until he has "retuned to his senses" and abandons the idea of abandoning her. Despite some genuinely funny moments, SERIOUS fumbles the execution. Novice Director Cheryl Hines (WAITRESS) introduced the film. She seems like a sweet, wonderful person; a more than competent actor; and a totally unimaginative, inexperienced and lackluster director. One sequence, halfway into the film, is particularly annoying: Husband and wife, tied up in the bathroom, enter into a prolonged argument. For what seems like an endless loop, the only shots/edits we get are ping-pong talking heads. That's it! Ms. Hines, should you somehow get another shot at directing, and the result is not noticeably superior...I suggest you permanently hang-up your director's cap! Timothy Hutton and a rejuvenated Meg Ryan both turn in commendable, but somewhat strained performances (The result of over-direction?) 2 things saved SERIOUS: A fair share of laugh-provoking moments, and acts 3+4.(Far superior to rest of film)

I feel that 'Serious Moonlight' is a misunderstood movie. People seem to be under the impression that it's just another 'French Kiss' (mostly because of the misleading trailer). The similarities are minimal. The references (perhaps unintentional) are quite amusing but it must be said that 'Serious Moonlight' is no romantic comedy. It's more of a black comedy about a couple going through a stale marriage that is on the brink of breaking point. When the husband announces that he's leaving his wife for a twinkie, in a final desperate attempt the wife tries to win him back. However, she doesn't follow him all the way to Paris (which is what happened in 'French Kiss'). She ties him up, with duct tape, in their farm house.

Unlike the kind of humour that's often used in a romantic comedies 'Serious Moonlight' is a lot more tongue in cheek and even dark at times. Cheryl Hines, who's already known for her comedic talents, proves to be a competent director and with the late Adrienne Shelly's funny and yet thought-provoking screenplay, she has made something entertaining. I found most of the dialogues laugh-out-loud funny.

Timothy Hutton finally gets a part that's just right for him as he does full justice to Ian. Meg Ryan looks great and she's superb as the almost insane Louise. Justin Long and Kristen Bell provide hilarious support.

The twist in the end was cleverly done and works as a good conclusion with a funny touch.

This film is about a woman coming back home to find her husband writing a note asking for divorce. She holds her husband captive to try to win him back.

"Serious Moonlight" has only two actors most of the time, and the whole film is set in a house. Yet, it manages to maintain viewers' attention by the spectrum of emotions the two go through as the day progresses. The plot is engaging, but I find the husband's change of heart a little too abrupt. The final few seconds of the film is simple and yet effectively suggests something sinister has happened, thereby opening up viewers' imagination as to why things happened this way. "Serious Moonlight" is an interesting portrayal of a troubled couple who searches their soul for answers.