South of the Moon

A wonderfully moving film that kept me glued to the screen from beginning to end. I felt the start was a little slow paced but as the film progressed, I realized that it was necessary to the storyline and gave me the viewer the time to get under each character's skin. The acting is believable and the storyline quite touching. I laughed and cried and became emotionally involved with all the characters in the film, especially with young Coleman and his uncle Matt. I am sure that director Antonio DiVerdis is a passionate filmmaker and well in touch with human emotions to be able to make a film so sensitive, poignant and realistic. Mr. DiVerdis, I look forward to seeing your next film.

I am not quite sure I can find the right words to best describe this movie, but I recorded it because I somehow liked the description and upon watching it, I went immediately to Amazon to find it and buy it.. The film is REAL...(anything with John Ralston for me is always something worth watching)..the characters (especially Ralston, Jake McLeod, Moya O'Connell are so well acted...but ALL the characters are great!)..the story involves human weakness, psychic and spiritual connections; a wayward soul caught in the guilt of a past error made, one that affects almost everyone around him...and one too late to amend. One character fraught with internal torment; the other trying to piece together fragments of both what he dreams of as well as what he lives with,the characters are fragilely entwined, and the story unfolds with a tragically poignant direction. SO worth the watch (even if my attempt at trying to express but not reveal, is the opposite).... Choice of actors could not have been chosen more perfectly..

This film tells the story of a 12-year-old boy at the beginnings of puberty and his uncle who is a musician who is troubled by regret about choices that he made in his life.

The film uses frequent flashbacks to explain the uncle's backstory and there is a mild twist to things... and I say mild because it is heavily hinted at throughout and you will quite probably twig onto it within the first 15 minutes.

The acting is largely good... although there are definitely some moments where the acting could have been better.

The plot is interesting and engaging. The boy's parents are having marital issues and he worries they may divorce. Which is a bit of a trope of the genre and in all honesty... the film could have done without it. Also... there are definitely moments of clear melodrama. If it weren't for those moments then I would have given it a 9.

I would also have ranked it higher if certain things had a bit more resolution. There are a few plot points that seem important at certain points in the film but then just disappear without resolution. His friend, for example... just kind of disappears after an awkward conversation. If things like that were explained or resolved then I also would have ranked it higher.

I'll be a little critical here before I go on to tell you what a great film this is. The main character wasn't that great. However to be fair I think it was a difficult part to play. I actually thought his "friend" (the boy) would have done a better job at playing the main character.

There were two story lines within the movie that made it interesting. One being a believable plot between the two boys. That lack of certainty in the main character is not something you will see in any American made film.

The second story line was between the uncle, parents, and final realization of just whom it was that he had been dreaming about. It all came together flawlessly at the end. It left no room for wonder even though there wasn't anything said. It was an extremely sad ending.

I would definitely recommend this movie to anybody who likes movies that deviate from the mainstream consciousness.

South of the Moon is one of the best films I've seen in a long while. I came upon it purely by accident while surfing the net (www.southofthemoonmovie.com ). Watching the trailer enticed me to purchase the DVD. I recommend it to anyone who wants to see an unforgettable film.

The acting is passionate and every actor in it brings a special worth to the film – the mark of a good director who succeeded in bringing out the best in each actor and created an emotionally charged memorable film with the right blend of drama and humor, adding also a touch of suspense for good measure. The story is sensitive and quite moving. It captured my interest from beginning to end and I became involved with the characters that were really true to life. While watching this film, I was overwhelmed with different emotions. I found myself laughing at times while at other times my eyes brimmed with tears (something that happened to me only once before watching Cinema Paradiso).

This film is a must see!