The Moment In Theaters June 20th
As a huge fan of Jennifer Jason Leigh I was disappointed that she made this film, written by Jane Weinstock and Gloria Norris, directed and produced by Jane Weinstock. Don’t get me wrong she did an amazing job playing (Lee) a traumatized war photographer coping with a failed relationship. But I don’t know if it can save this film.
“The Moment” starts off with Lee calling her boyfriend (John, a troubled writer) played by Martin Henderson for her camera she left at his home. Lee is seen pacing in panic mode on the phone in front of his home, finally she decides to go in and from there we realize something is very wrong. John is missing and the breakup along with his disappearance pushes Lee to an emotional meltdown. She checks in to a mental hospital as she tries to understand what has happened. Lee thinks she may have killed John and is aided by a sympathetic psychiatrist( Marianne Jean-Bapiste) to help her remember what happened. While recuperating she tries to bond with her daughter Jessie(Alia Shawkat), whose performance I did enjoy.
Now this is where the film gets confusing and sort of convoluted with flashbacks of her relationship with John that sometimes just didn’t make any sense. To make this more complicated she meets another patient(Peter) who looks just like John ( played by the same actor Martin Henderson) and forms a bond with him. If you’re looking for edge of your seat suspense or some fabulous, twisted ending well it won’t happen in this film. You’re left wondering what the heck did I just see. But if you’re fan of Jennifer like I am then you will enjoy watching her navigate the very difficult terrain of the mind.
The film also stars Marianne Jean-Bapiste, Meat Loaf, Alessandra Torresani, Navid Negahban. Cinematographer James Laxton.
Writers Gloria Norris, Jane Weinstock.
Produced by Mary Jane Shalski, Julia Eisenman, Gloria Norris, Allan Jones, Jane Weinstock, James Welling.
The Moment opens Friday, June 20th
Reviewed by: Susan Gordon
