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by Daniel Johnson

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SHOOT THE MOON (Dir. Alan Parker, 1981)It's easy to forget that in the late 70's and early 80's there was a genre that held its own against the science-fiction blockbusters that dominated that era the divorce drama. KRAMER VS. KRAMER, of course, was the leader of the pack but close behind were such families getting torn apart tangents like AN UNMARRIED WOMAN, TWICE IN A LIFETIME, and ORDINARY PEOPLE. Long out of circulation but now newly re-issued on DVD is a pivotal player from those ranks - SHOOT THE MOON featuring Albert Finney leaving wife Diane Keaton for a younger woman (Karen Allen). As the film opens we are introduced to the couple with their four daughters (Dana Hill, Viveka Davis, Tracey Gold, and Tina Yothers) and their creaky old house on the outskirts of Marin County in California (many misty shots of the house and valley are throughout the film). We see as acclaimed novelist Finney and his former student now wife Keaton prepare for an evening at an awards ceremony that their marriage is on the outs. Finney calls his lover and the oldest daughter picks up the phone to eavesdrop. On their ride there and back their car is full of tension as we realize and feel the giant gap between them. The next morning Keaton confronts Finney and he responds not by owning up to his affair but by leaving with a bag that she had already packed in anticipation.

The couple attempts to sort out the rubble and move on with their lives but keep on hitting emotional roadblocks. Finney moves in with Allen, who except for one signature scene basically has little to do but stand around looking pretty, while Keaton takes up with a contractor played with just the right tone by Peter Weller (ROBOCOP!) she hired to put in a tennis court on her (actually still her and her separated husband's) property. The film seethes with energy that explodes from underneath in a few surprisingly violent scenes. Finney is compelling as always as he stalks the screen in manner exposing his stage roots and Keaton displays that the keen quality she can bring to dramatic roles is equal to the comedic skills she is better known for. Dana Hill (who died in 1996 from complications due to diabetes) as the oldest wisest daughter who knows her parents' faults as well as their habits - she knows her mother smokes pot for example - has perfect poise for her part and has a great scene in the third act that among other things explains the movies title. It's funny to see Tina Yothers and Tracey Gould as sisters for as students of pop culture know they went on to be daughters in competing 80's TV sitcoms - Yothers in Family Ties and Gould in Growing Pains respectively. A flawed but stirring drama with an absolutely shocking ending, Alan Parker's SHOOT THE MOON is an oft overlooked film that deserves a place on your Netflix queue.

Learn more about this author, Daniel Johnson.

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