Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

SanEat A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Adeel Hail Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

GusF Set in Louisiana during the summer of 1957, this is an absolutely wonderful and often deeply moving film concerning young love, unrequited love and sisterhood. Far from being the best years of your life, your teenage years can be the longest, the most confusing and sometimes the most difficult years of your life. The perfect script by Jenny Wingfield is beautifully written and almost painfully authentic in depicting that. There is not a false note in the entire film and the characters always seem like real people. The title refers to the two sisters' practice of telling their problems to the Man in the Moon when they were little girls and their wish that life was still that simple. The direction by Robert Mulligan, in his final film, is fantastic. He was perhaps the best possible choice to handle this material, given that he previously directed two other excellent period coming of age dramas: "To Kill a Mockingbird" (my second favourite film of all time) and "Summer of '42".In her first film appearance, Reese Witherspoon gives a brilliant performance as Dani Trant, a 14-year-old tomboy who discovers the pain of growing up. She is so wonderfully natural. Witherspoon was 14 herself at the time that the film was made and I think that this added to the realism of the film. Dani is fiercely intelligent, tough, brave, headstrong and independent but she is not as grown up as she thinks she is, as is the case with most people her age. Although she initially dislikes her 17-year-old neighbour Court Foster - played in a great performance by the underrated Jason London - as he kicked her out of the previously abandoned pond on his property, he soon becomes the subject of her first proper crush, even displacing her beloved Elvis Presley in her affections. Dani likes to act as if she knows it all but she has no experience when it comes to boys and seeks the advice of her 17-year-old sister Maureen, played very well by Emily Warfield, on how to kiss a boy. Maureen has a very idealistic view of love and previously told her date - and attempted date rapist - Billy Sanders that it should be beautiful. The sisters have a very close relationship and the two tell each other everything. Well, almost.Over time, Dani and Court become very good friends and she falls in love with him. He even gives her her first kiss in a lovely little scene by the pond. However, when he meets Maureen, they hit it off immediately and Dani is extremely hurt, particularly since Court becomes very distant. As a loving older sister, Maureen is concerned that Dani may have gotten the wrong idea from Court, who insists that the two of them were only "real close buddies" instead of boyfriend and girlfriend. When you're talking about 14 and 17, a three year age gap can seem like a lifetime and the film does a superb job in this respect. Court and Maureen eventually fall in love. Their happiness is short-lived, however, as Court is killed in a terrible farming accident. Both girls are understandably extremely upset by his death. Dani continues to blame Maureen for "stealing" Court and refuses to even look at her after the funeral. At the instigation of their father, however, Dani puts it behind them and comforts Maureen at Court's grave, thereby re-establishing and perhaps even strengthening their very close bond.In one of his trademark quiet, dignified and deeply charismatic performances, Sam Waterston is brilliant as Dani and Maureen's father Matthew Trant. The girls have had a strict upbringing but, unlike in lesser, poorly written films, this is because their father loves them and wants to protect them as opposed to merely being an ass because it says so in the script. He is the sort of father who does not say a great deal but, when he does, it is worth listening to. One of the film's most upsetting moments features Matthew hitting Dani with his belt. He did so as she went out after dark to go swimming with Court, which led to her very worried and very pregnant mother Abigail to trip over a tree-stump and be hospitalised with a concussion. He is filled with remorse afterwards and he fears that he may have permanently damaged his relationship with Dani. However, after several days, she forgives him and tells him that she does not blame him for doing so as he was upset and angry. Hitting children is always a tricky issue to deal with on screen but I think that the film dealt with it in the best way possible. Abigail's injuries may have been the reason for Matthew's behaviour but they are not an excuse for it as such behaviour is inexcusable. The film is too well written to say something this blatantly unsubtle outright but this is communicated through the characters' dialogue and interactions. I am convinced that Matthew will never raise a hand to one of his children again and will regret hitting Dani for the rest of his life. The film also features very good performances from Tess Harper as the likewise strict but loving Abigail, Gail Strickland as Court's mother Marie, Bentley Mitchum (Robert's grandson) as Billy Sanders and Ernie Lively as his incredibly pervy father Will Sanders.Overall, this is a fantastic film which treats its subject matter with a great deal of sensitivity, seriousness and respect. While it is set in the Deep South in the 1950s, its themes are universal and the general thrust of the storyline would have probably remained the same if it had been set in any time or place or made in any language for that matter. I have never related to another coming of age story involving girls as much as I related to this one.

SnoopyStyle It's summer of 1957 rural Louisiana. Dani Trant (Reese Witherspoon) is a 14 year old Elvis fan. She's close to her older sister Maureen who is going to Duke in the fall. She has a younger sister Missy and her mother Abigail (Tess Harper) is pregnant with the fourth. Her father Matthew (Sam Waterston) is eager for a son. While skinny dipping at the Foster's place, Dani encounters 17 year old Court Foster (Jason London) whose family just returned to their property.Reese Witherspoon delivers quite a precocious performance. Her star power is evident even at such a young age. She plays off of Jason London very well who is fully into his boyish charms. The drawback is Emily Warfield who plays Maureen. She doesn't have the same star power and it shows. This coming-of-age story is touching bittersweet like a sunny summer day followed by a stormy night. I love all the conflicted teen girl thought process and first love struggles. It could have gone soft at the end but instead it takes an even darker turn. I do wish that Maureen is played by a more powerful actress. In the end, the sisters' relationship is the center of the movie.

alxx0209 I saw this on netflix the other night and i kind of was glad I read about the movie before i watched it so I had an idea what direction the film went in. Its a coming of age film about growing up and love. This movie has little Reese Witherspoon in her first movie role - who does an amazing job as Danni , she was great everything about her ! She fit the part and fit in with the cast wonderfully . So did Jason London as Court it was great seeing them two bond and have feelings for one another. The relationship changes goes up and down throughout the whole film ( this was shown swell ! ) Im not going to spoil what happens but I will say that for me , The movie was sad not were i cried during the movie but just the next day my stomach and head felt upset by it. I would also say read the plot before you see this movie because it will help you deal with what happens. The film made me smile / laugh / feel upset and intrigued me. Everyone was a teenager at some point who had a first crush that felt like it never ended - Witherspoon shined I mean before this movie i kinda just saw her as a pretty face however she had skills and deserves credit !! I have to watch more of her films to see if she continues her skills !!! I will never forget her as Danni = the only little note i would say is i agree with some people that Danni and Court should have had a better ending rather then Court and her sister.

David Traversa Nice movie if one leaves aside the picture-perfect characters in this family of squeaky clean members: Ideal mother, perfect father, excellent daughters, noble boyfriend, all of them with perfect manners, living in an idyllic environment, with admirable neighbors, friends and pets (and weather!).Maybe people like them exists, lucky them.Under those premises the film is excellent and very pleasant to watch.After all, not seeing awful characters on the screen is quite a change!! And maybe that disoriented me and had that first reaction, but now, thinking it over, it wouldn't be a bad thing to live among people with those straight and noble principles. Nice living.Very well interpreted, all actors splendid in their roles, good direction, excellent photography and editing and good final resolution for the storyline.