![]() That’s not to say that Liar’s Moon is all bad, where it gives off a feeling of low-level Tennessee Williams, and a cool edge to Matt Dillon that reminds us of his James Dean potential. ![]() Liar’s Moon seems afraid to approach its subject matter and also afraid to let the two lead characters truly be in love. It reminded me of movies such as Blue Valentine, Who’s That Knocking at My Door, or Revolutionary Road, where a movie about conflicted relationships can push the boundaries of love and heartbreak. There’s a romantic picnic and some horseback riding, but under the work of a more known name director, Liar’s Moon would have much needed flare. The screenplay is written by director David Fisher, working off the story by Janice Thompson and Billy Hanna, and it fails to generate much passion from the newfound lovers. One of the major problems with Liar’s Moon is two-fold, where the performances outside of Dillon and Fisher are a collection of soap opera fodder. It’s the parents disapproval of the relationship that alludes to something deeper at hand, but what that is would ruin the films climax, while also dampen the films narrative build up. It’s not long before Jack and Ginny meet, but it’s everything after that turns the tide, including Jack’s dad dying in a freak accident with heavy machinery, and Ginny’s father not approving of her new found love. The story then moves ahead to Jack’s life, working hard for his father in the field, enjoying wild weekends with his friends Mike and Bobby. It’s made clear that this will come up later down the line, but for now what we pick up is that Ellen Duncan (Margaret Blye) is excited with the prospect of her own baby boy. There’s a flashback that opens Liar’s Moon, with a young woman sitting at the doctor’s office, discussing the news of her pregnancy. It’s still worth a peak, with a fresh new Blu-ray release from the MVD Rewind Collection, and a reminder of the type of challenging narratives that movies could take. It’s highlighted by some strong young performances, but takes a strange turn in a convoluted ending, something that was not expected. Liar’s Moon begins as a strong, romantic story, about two lovers against the world. What starts as a young teen romance soon takes a turn, with the couple running away to spite their disapproving parents, but what they don’t know is that a dark family secret could derail all their dreams of wedded bliss. They meet at the town carnival, where Ginny is at the kissing booth, and although the rich boys pursue her, there’s an instant connection between Jack and Ginny. Set in East Texas, it’s the romantic story of Jack Duncan (Dillon) and Ginny Peterson (Cindy Fisher), a pair of high school kids, one is the poor farmer’s boy, and the other a rich banker’s daughter. Director David Fisher’s film is a riff on a Southern Romeo & Juliet and an introduction to Matt Dillon. ![]() The kind of scripts that would be approved in 1981 are not the same as today, where it’s not that they don’t hold up, but something tells me a studio in 2022 would not approve Liar’s Moon. STARRING: MATT DILLON, CINDY FISHER, HOYT AXTON, MARGARET BLYEĪ’s RATING: 2 ½ STARS (Out of 4)
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