Movies I LOVE: Moonstruck

Moonstruck is one of those movies. It’s one of those movies you never particularly feel like watching and then when you watch it you’re astounded at how much you like it. No matter how many times I watch that movie I laugh out loud. It’s hilarious and touching. Actually, when I think about it, it’s the kind of ensemble writing I aspire to in my novel. Not that I’m anywhere close to that kind of writing.

This movie should always be watched while eating a huge italian dinner. Just fyi.

I almost put a spoiler above this post in case anyone is like waiting for a post-apocalptic world so they can watch this movie on their third date with an alien from Pluto but then I said screw em. Moonstruck starts out with the widow Loretta Castorini getting engaged to a total helpless man child Johnny Cammareri who then immediately leaves for Sicily to visit his dying mother. He makes sure Loretta promises to go visit his brother who has hated him for the past five years.

A lot of this movie is lost on people who are not Italian or part of Italian families. I am Italian on my dad’s side. Actually, I probably think I’m a lot more Italian than I am because I’m like three quarters Irish on my mom’s side or something. My dad’s family doesn’t live around here and my grandparents on his side are pretty dead so I don’t really even have the experience of being in a large Italian family. I’m an honorary Italian kinda. But I cook really good Italian. I totally count.

Who wants sixth helpings??? Everyone!!!!

Whoever wrote the script to this movie must be Italian. They just understand all the little quirks and traditions of being Italian. The casting is also pretty perfect. And, on that, I would like to say for those of you who looked at the cast and said ‘weird’, don’t judge. I’m not a Cher fan. She’s fantastic in this movie. I’m not really a Nicolas Cage fan. He’s perfect in this movie.

Loretta was all happily engaged to Johnny when she goes to see his brother Ronnie (Nicolas Cage) and totally sees she’s  marrying the wrong brother. I mean, come on. He yells at her over bread and she makes him dinner, she calls him a wolf, and he makes passionate love to her after throwing a table.

Proof that not every man is deathly afraid of commitment.

This was back when Nic Cage actually had some……more (he does still have some) hair and was really actually sorta kinda……hot. Legit. He only has one hand in this movie and he’s hot. He’s really hot. And he is a man of action.

You know how people are like afraid to commit and doubt themselves? Guess how long it takes Ronny to propose…….Think about it. A month? That’s nothing. It takes him TWO DAMN DAYS!!!!!!!!!! That is a man who is not afraid to go for what he wants. Ronnie is one of my favorite characters in this movie because he’s got great monologues and he’s just so damn awesome. He actually orders her to get in his bed. Amen, brother. I love the monologue about love too.

And I was thinking about that. As made famous by the classic piece of film Bridget Jones’ Diary, how many marriages end in divorce, one in two or one in three?

One in three says the undeniably luscious Mark Darcy.

AAccording to most Singletons and to most cynical people today, marriage is less than halfway successful. It might possibly end in divorce anyways. So, if that is the case, why don’t people just go for it? Yeah, I’m not sure if this will work, but no one is so lets get married. More people should be like Ronnie Cammareri. He is in love with Loretta and he is not afraid to go for it. If you think that you’ve met the love of your life, why wait for four years to make sure you’re compatible. It’s a crapshoot anyways.

Finally, or almost finally, the music is perfectly suited to the movie. It’s italian but it’s not begging to be played while you eat spaghetti. This song is called Old Man Mazurka which just makes it even cooler. The superstitious side to this movie also compliments the music and the storyline.

So, go watch Moonstruck. It’s one of those movies you won’t think will be that good. But it is. Oh, and did I mention that Ronnie immediately meets Loretta, falls in love with her, and asks her to the opera with in twenty-four hours? No wonder he’s pretty much perfect.

To end, here is an example of the great dialogue and heart-warming charm of this movie. Go watch it! (and eat some spaghetti while you do. And Tiramisu. And Sausage. And bruschetta. And biscotti. With wine. Lots of wine.)

Here’s looking at you.