Box of Moonlight

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Box of Moonlight

R

1996

1h 51m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

59%

Tomatometer

17 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

When a business trip ends abruptly, distressed middle-aged electrical engineer Al Fountain (John Turturro) decides to seek out a lake that harbors happy childhood memories. There he meets The Kid (Sam Rockwell), a free spirit whose quirky backwoods existence runs contrary to Fountain's tightly wound manner, forcing him to live more loosely and be receptive to new adventures, including the arrival of the pretty Dupre sisters, Floatie (Catherine Keener) and Purlene (Lisa Blount).

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

There isn't a whole lot of story in Box of Moonlight. The film works by setting up Al Fountain as a mope, and then hurling gobs of life at him. Some stick.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 1, 2000

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Michael Atkinson

Spin

On one level a poignant elegy for the obsessive-compulsive, DiCillo's movie is unfashionably innocent and sweet, making it unlikely grist for the hype mill.

Oct 25, 2019

Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

Worth a look for Rockwell fans.

Rated: B

Apr 9, 2007

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

The film is meant to be a whimsical romp, and it takes some time to getting used to eccentric actor John Turturro as Everyman in Middle America!

Rated: B-

Apr 30, 2006

Full Review

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

Rated: 4/5

Dec 28, 2004

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Carol Cling

Las Vegas Review-Journal

Rated: 2/5

Apr 16, 2004

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Cameron B

Road movie about the spiritual transformation of an uptight and unhappy individual.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/01/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Perfect film. Perfect autism + adhd dynamic. Made me very Joyous. Pleasant!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/25/24

Full Review

Audience Member

(No spoilers) This is my all time favorite movie ever made. I will admit that not everyone will share my love for this film. There is not a lot of action, no loud explosions or special effects or anything like that. It's somewhat slow moving, but still never boring. Sam Rockwell and John Turturro are at their best. The chemistry between them is unmatched. The story line isn't all that interesting, but the great cast and acting makes it come together beautifully, both main and supporting characters. I don't know, there's just something about this film that appeals to my emotions and makes me want to watch it over and over, and turn everyone I know on to it. So far everyone I've showed it to loves it. Maybe you will too.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This flic is an underrated little gem. Perfectly cast & the script will hold your attention. While billed as a comedy, the drama simmers under the surface & breaks through several times.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It was so-so. I did not like sam Rockwell's character

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

"Quirky," though cliched, is the right word to describe this film. I don't like to give plot summaries for fear of spoilers, but I'll just say that those of us of a certain age can relate to Al (Turturro) in many ways and the freedom he experiences for a few days with "The Kid" can create a desire to experience the same. It did for me, anyway. Sam Rockwell is great as The Kid and the rest of the cast is very good. Al makes a couple of decision, particularly near the end of the film, that I felt were missteps by the filmmaker (DiCillo wrote and directed it - see his "Living In Oblivion" if you get a chance), which made me like the film a little less. Overall, though, I like it. It's a sweet, weird movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

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Tom DiCillo

Director

John Turturro

Al Fountain

Sam Rockwell

The Kid

Catherine Keener

Floatie Dupre

Lisa Blount

Purlene Dupre

Annie Corley

Deb Fountain

Box of Moonlight: Official Clip - Fake Wrestling

2:24

Box of Moonlight: Official Clip - Backwards Phenomenon

2:12

Box of Moonlight: Official Clip - Kid's Joke

2:13

Box of Moonlight: Official Clip - Car Trouble

2:29

Box of Moonlight: Official Clip - Found Jesus?

2:32

Box of Moonlight: Official Clip - Off the Grid

2:21

Box of Moonlight: Official Clip - You Help Me

1:42

Box of Moonlight: Official Clip - Kid's Gift

1:12

Box of Moonlight: Official Clip - Factory Fun

2:06

Box of Moonlight: Official Clip - Life is a Tomato

2:12

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Synopsis

When a business trip ends abruptly, distressed middle-aged electrical engineer Al Fountain (John Turturro) decides to seek out a lake that harbors happy childhood memories. There he meets The Kid (Sam Rockwell), a free spirit whose quirky backwoods existence runs contrary to Fountain's tightly wound manner, forcing him to live more loosely and be receptive to new adventures, including the arrival of the pretty Dupre sisters, Floatie (Catherine Keener) and Purlene (Lisa Blount).

Director: Tom DiCillo
Producer: Marcus Viscidi, Thomas A. Bliss
Screenwriter: Tom DiCillo
Production Co: JVC Entertainment, Lakeshore Entertainment, Largo Entertainment
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA): $795.1K
Runtime: 1h 51m
Sound Mix: Surround

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