Moonlight Serenade

I think this film deserves a positive response. It's a small romantic jazz musical, fairly low-produced, I guess shot in HD and in short time, with slow rhythm, editing not always smooth and seamless, but with solid performances and altogether a rewarding story.

Amy Adams is of course the big name here and she is lovely and interesting as usual, but the main actor is Scott G. Anderson. Sort of a momentous Matt Damon with a face not at all unlike Willem Dafoe, especially when laughing. You know, that kind of a devilish laugh with lips high into the cheeks.

I enjoyed the music and the story morale. Nothing grand, an okay treat nevertheless.

I confess I found this film irresistible. It's primarily a vehicle for a terrific score, consisting almost entirely of the superb performances and arrangements of Joey DeFrancesco (Frank D). What a pleasant showcase for classics from sorely missed show tunes and jazz of the 40's and 50's, all capably rendered by Amy Adams and Scott G. Anderson. DeFrancesco, incidentally, not only plays the Hammond B, but also piano and trumpet in the movie score (though his Frank D is seen performing only on the Hammond B in the film itself). The film seems to have been somewhat inspired by Steve Koves' Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), though it's not up to the outstanding production values of that film, or the first-rate performances of Jeff and Beau Bridges and (especially) Michelle Pfeiffer, who received an Academy Award nomination. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed Moonlight Serenade for ALL the reasons that others who posted here have already pointed out. It was great to hear these wonderful, time-tested classical popular and jazz compositions again. I own the film and would love to find the sound track, but no luck so far.

I am a huge Amy Adams fan and have been for many years. I am also a big fan of musicals. With that said this is not a good movie on any level. It is quite dull and the acting overall is very very poor. Amy Adams is awkward to watch act with Scott G. Anderson due to the fact that she is in another league when it comes to acting. All the performances come off as very amateur. The music performances are pleasant, but nothing special.

Scott G. Anderson is just an bad actor! I assumed he was put in this movie because he has a great voice, but it's just not the case. He has an average voice and sings on key, but that's about it.

I guess I can see why Amy Adams did this movie with the singing element I just wish she had not. I could rant about other poor elements of this movie, but I'll leave it at that.

I was in the mood to watch something with Amy Adams in it and came across 'Moonlight Serenade'. A film about music and with Adams singing, what's not to look forward to? I thought it would be a pleasant break from the overload of action, thriller and toilet humour comedies scattering theatres these days.

However, 'Moonlight Serenade' could have easily been a stronger movie. The story is very simplistic and has been witnessed before as it's very much the typical musician story. The execution is a big let down. It has a TV movie feel to it. The cinematography is flat and the pace is quite slow. The atmosphere in the film feels dull too.

I liked how the songs were placed smoothly into the situations like part of the story.

Alec Newman, Amy Adams and Harriet Sansom Harris perform excellently. It's good to finally see Harris in a movie with a substantial role for her and she sings very well too. Even though I personally didn't like all the songs, Newman and Adams sing beautifully. So what 'Moonlight Serenade' has working for it are the performances.

Since then, all the movies featuring Amy Adams were nice, from Enchanted to her two Streep's films (doubt and Julia). And no doubt that she is an attractive actress, quite sweet and above all, healthy. Also, her singing is outstanding. She ought to be successful among the other stars in Hollywood.

However, no matter how magnificent she can be, as long as she appears in a movie, she needs a script to interpret. A script with a plot. Sadly, this Moonlight serenade seems to fail without one.

Adams' role Chloe is a mysterious girl, sharing some elements with Maeterlinck's Mélisande: from an unknown somewhere, bouncing forth and back between her two lovers, coming and going without any reasons. And Nate, acting at whim. Besides, the plot is pale. I couldn't help myself from being distracted now and then. So many unnecessary people were just moving around to attract my attention. Even the singing part wasn't exciting either, failing to rival the songs in Adams' Enchanted.

Hope Amy's will have something more to show in the future.