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MOON SHADOW (COLPO DI LUNA) Send This Review to a Friend
Delicacy and compassion characterize "Moon Shadow" ("Colpo di Luna"), an Italian import that stars celebrated actor Nino Manfredi as Salvatore, a Sicilian father who has been devoted to a son who has grown up retarded. The plot catalyst is the return to an inherited childhood home by Lorenzo, a scientist (Tcheky Karyo), who has pursued a busy career without pausing to consider what else life has to offer.
When Salvatore shows up with his two helpers to repair the house, Lorenzo is put in contact with a man and a situation having the potential to change his outlook. Salvatore's son Agostino, portrayed affectingly with wounded dignity by Jim Van der Woude, is part of a community run by Titto, an idealistic doctor (Johan Leyson), who administers to persons with various psychological problems. Lorenzo is deeply moved by the good doctor, as well as by his struggling charges, although he comes close to behaving improperly with a young woman whose emotional hunger and sexual advances he misjudges.
Manfredi anchors the film with his skill in playing Salvatore as an earthy, unsophisticated but dedicated father. Lorenzo's interaction with Salvatore and unexpected events teach him to regard life differently. Written and directed by Alberto Simone, "Moon Shadow" gently takes us into a world in which it is essential to understand what others endure, and it demands respect for the less fortunate and those who try to make their lives a little better. The exquisitely understated film also teaches us that personal growth can take place by stopping to look around and observe what may have been ignored. A PromoFest release.
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