A Walk on the Moon

A Walk on the Moon

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	1999
Founder	Tony Goldwyn (director)
Products	Drama film
Parent	Miramax Films

A Walk on the Moon is a 1999 American drama featuring performances by Diane Lane, Viggo Mortensen, Liev Schreiber, and Anna Paquin. Set during the summer of 1969 amidst the cultural backdrop of the Woodstock festival and the historic Moon landing, the film was released through Miramax Films. Marking Tony Goldwyn's debut as a director, it garnered positive reviews, with Diane Lane receiving an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead.

Plot

During the summer of 1969, Pearl Kantrowitz and her husband Marty, a working-class Jewish couple from New York City, stay at Dr. Fogler's Bungalows in the Catskills alongside their family, which includes their teenage daughter Alison, young son Danny, and Marty's mother Lillian.

Marty works as a television repairman and only visits on weekends. Pearl, who married early after becoming pregnant with Alison at age 17, feels uncertain about her current life situation. While Marty is away, she encounters Walker Jerome, a carefree traveling salesman, leading to an extramarital affair.

At the same time, Alison navigates typical adolescent experiences—her first menstruation, going on a date, and sharing a first kiss with Ross Epstein at the camp.

Marty remains occupied preparing televisions for customers eager to witness the upcoming Moon landing. As the community celebrates Neil Armstrong's historic moonwalk, Pearl's relationship with Walker deepens. When Lillian discovers Pearl's infidelity, she urges her to end it. However, due to Woodstock-related traffic jams preventing Marty’s visits, Pearl continues seeing Walker.

Pearl secretly attends Woodstock with Walker, leaving Lillian responsible for the children. Alison also goes to the festival despite her mother's disapproval and becomes distressed upon finding Pearl intoxicated and topless alongside Walker.

Lillian contacts Marty to return home through the congested roads. Upon his arrival, Marty confronts Pearl about her affair; Alison also emotionally challenges her mother. Torn between her commitment to family and yearning for independence, Pearl faces a difficult choice.

In the end, Pearl decides to remain with Marty and terminates her relationship with Walker, who accepts her decision. The movie concludes with Pearl and Marty dancing together to Dean Martin's "When You're Smiling" and Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze."

Development

The screenplay was penned in 1992 by playwright Pamela Gray, inspired by her own childhood experiences at a Catskills bungalow colony. Originally titled "The Blouse Man," the script earned the national Samuel Goldwyn Writing Award. Despite this accolade, initial funding attempts failed as financiers considered the story "too small, too soft, not universal, and too Jewish."

Actor-producer Tony Goldwyn, grandson of Samuel Goldwyn, later discovered the script and was attracted to its exploration of midlife crises and coming-of-age themes set against 1960s counterculture. Recognizing its potential to delve into personal growth and risk-taking, Goldwyn initially planned only to produce but opted to direct after unsuccessful efforts to find a director equally invested in the project.

Filming

Principal photography took place over 36 days during summer 1997 in the Laurentian Mountains of eastern Canada. Liev Schreiber drew inspiration for his portrayal of Marty from his own grandfather.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack, released on March 23, 1999, via Sire Records, consists of sixteen songs that combine elements of rock and folk rock.

Release

Prior to its debut, distribution rights for the film were acquired by Miramax. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1999, where favorable audience and critical response prompted Miramax to move forward with a theatrical rollout that spring.

A Walk on the Moon initially opened in select theaters on March 26, 1999, before expanding to a wider release across the United States throughout April. The film ultimately earned $4.75 million at the global box office.

Critical reception

Overall, A Walk on the Moon garnered mostly positive critiques. According to Rotten Tomatoes, 73% of 37 reviewers gave favorable ratings, resulting in an average score of 6.9 out of 10. The general consensus praises Diane Lane’s portrayal and Tony Goldwyn’s confident directorial debut, highlighting the film as an engaging period drama focused on a family facing pivotal changes. On Metacritic, the movie holds a weighted average of 70 out of 100, signaling "generally favorable" reviews.

Michael Wilmington from the Chicago Tribune lauded the film’s depth and identified the character Allison as a clear representation of screenwriter Pamela Gray. He also noted the film’s nuanced depiction of cultural conflicts during the 1960s without casting blame on any characters. Stephen Hunter of The Washington Post complimented Diane Lane for authentically conveying her character’s internal struggles, while Janet Maslin from The New York Times described it as a heartfelt summer drama that thoughtfully explores ethical dilemmas.

Entertainment Weekly critic Ty Burr offered mixed feedback; he criticized the conclusion but recognized the film’s faithful portrayal of 1969 societal shifts and a woman discovering personal liberation. Desson Howe, also writing for The Washington Post, considered the movie somewhat heavy-handed with symbolism. Renowned critic Roger Ebert highlighted Anna Paquin’s performance as particularly compelling, emphasizing her depiction of adolescent emotional turbulence.

In 2008, readers of Entertainment Weekly voted A Walk on the Moon as number nine in their list of "50 Sexiest Movies Ever."

Accolades

Award	Category	Recipient(s)	Result
Chlotrudis Awards	Best Supporting Actor	Liev Schreiber	Template:Nom
Independent Spirit Awards	Best Female Lead	Diane Lane	Template:Nom
National Board of Review Awards	Special Recognition for Excellence in Filmmaking		Template:Won
Satellite Awards	Best Screenplay – Original	Pamela Gray	Template:Nom
Young Artist Awards	Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Young Actress	Anna Paquin	Template:Nom
YoungStar Awards	Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama Film		Template:Nom

Musical adaptation

Pamela Gray transformed her screenplay into a theatrical musical, featuring compositions and lyrics by Paul Scott Goodman and AnnMarie Milazzo. This musical had its debut at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco during June 2018. Although it was planned to premiere at the George Street Playhouse in New Jersey in 2020, the opening was postponed because of COVID-19 restrictions. The production eventually premiered on April 26, 2022, under the presentation of the George Street Playhouse.