Product Details

• Actors: Albert Finney, Diane Keaton, Karen Allen, Peter Weller, Dana Hill
• Directors: Alan Parker
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Mgm/Turner Movie Classics
• VHS Release Date: June 19, 1991
• Run Time: 125 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301977505
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #13,654 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Albert Finney (George) and Diane Keaton (Faith) play well against each other in this rather bleak and (for director Alan Parker) subdued story about a middle-class California couple trying and failing to be "grown-up" about divorce. George is a successful writer who has found another woman. After he walks out, Faith takes up with the handsome working-class stud who is building their tennis court (played by Peter Weller). Her new relationship is just something to ease the pain; George's might be more, except that he is drawn back again and again to his own house, his own wife, and his three daughters--especially the eldest (Dana Hill), who angrily refuses to forgive his dereliction. Increasingly unbalanced, and finally violent, he tries to bully his way back into their lives while maintaining his new life. The movie is too slow, and the surprisingly clichéd emotional atmospherics (a lingering shot of Finney in a boat on a lake, clutching his head in grief) sometimes make you feel you have stumbled into a bad made-for-TV event. But the story's the thing--that and the two fine leading performances. --Richard Farr

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, July 21, 2003

By	Lisa Verson (Dayton, OH) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

One of the main reasons I rented and then bought this movie was because Diane Keaton was in it. Together, she and Albert Finney make this movie a truly devistating, powerful story of a couple who find that after fifteen years of marriage, it's over. Both performances were incredible, as was the performance of the oldest daughter, played by the late Dana Hill. She gave such a powerful performance, as a girl who didn't know whether to love or hate her father for leaving the family.

What made this a true gem was the relationship you see between Diane Keaton's character (Faith Dunlap) and her four children. You can automatically see how much she loves them and that she wants to protect them. At the same time, however, Albert Finney's character (George Dunlap) is taking the divorce in two separate directions: he's happy to not be living with his wife, but he misses her at the same time. You can immediately see that he loves the children as well and they love him.

The part that was very difficult to watch was when he (Finney) wanted to give Sherri (Dana Hill) her birthday present and she didn't want it. He got into the house anyway and locked Faith out and beat down his daughter's door and just let his rage out on her. It was so difficult to watch him to this, and the reaction of what he did, or realized what he did to his daughter brought tears to my eyes. Especially when Faith comforted her daughter and George saw that the two had a special relationship.

I would recommend this movie to people over the age of 18, since it is very powerful and has a lot of adult language and adult situations.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Keaton Gem, November 25, 2002

By	C. MacNeil "Three Rivers Reviewer" (Fort Wayne, IN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The disintegration of a marriage is usually red-flag matter when it's treated as an entertainment piece. But "Shoot the Moon" is, for some unknown reason, an underrated and under-appreciated (when it was released) showcase for the dynamic Diane Keaton and Albert Finney. Their marriage goes bust in this one, and in the anguish of both characters we feel likewise. The emotional fallout of the breakup of any marriage, even if its end is mutually sought, is acutely conveyed here, and Keaton and Finney manage to make us care about their characters, even if one is someone we might not otherwise want to care about. The film was one in a handful that Keaton did in her post-"Annie Hall" days but which helped catapault her to greater heights as a serious and accomplished dramatic actress ("Reds" quickly followed "Shoot the Moon" for Keaton, which garnered her a second Best Actress nomination). Why this film didn't generate more buzz when it was first released is inexplicable, but it's a hidden gem. When it's done, we have to appreciate its honesty: there's no "happily ever after" that neatly ties this one up.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars i can't believe my eyes!, September 19, 2007

By	Sean T. Maloney (Farmington, Connecticut USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Shoot the Moon (DVD)

i am nothing short of flabbergasted that they are finally releasing this movie on dvd. i repeatedly watched this movie back in the 80's when my family had HBO growing up. a poignant and heart-wrenching film about the dissolution of a married couple with four young girls. diane keaton, albert finney, karen allen and peter weller give amazing performances but the real star here is dana hill. her performance in this film is nothing short of visceral. she was a light that burned so intense but yet so brief. a huge loss to filmdom. don't miss this film. definitely worth a re-visit and definitely worth exposing to new generations that are unfamiliar with it. this release along with "rich and famous" with candace bergen and jacqueline bisset by warner home video truly signifies that they have recently hired some smart cookies at that company. nice to also see that both films are released in widescreen rather than full screen that that other film company called sony is so fond of doing. did i mention that i can't stand sony?