Serious Moonlight 2009

David Fear, Time Out: Hines's strict fidelity to her late friend Adrienne Shelly's excessively theatrical script takes precedence over everything else. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: Adrienne Shelly deserves better. Read more

Sam Adams, AV Club: Serious Moonlight is meant to be both funny and painful, but manages only the latter. Read more

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: Serious Moonlight has its flaws, but then what marriage doesn't? Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: It's a tribute to writer Adrienne Shelley and first-time director Cheryl Hines that, despite the film's flaws, it ultimately pulls off its unlikely tone. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: There's a lot of yelling, cracking wise, and cooing in this creepy rom-com. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: Meg Ryan really needs to steer clear of embarrassments like this. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: Read more

Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: More strident than funny, the film illustrates that old French proverb, "Marriage is like a cage; one sees the birds outside desperate to get in, and those inside desperate to get out." Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: It's difficult to say whether the script itself is a serious misfire or if the problem is Cheryl Hines, an actress making her directorial debut. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The formulaic shortcomings of Serious Moonlight are redeemed by the glow of a group tribute to a fallen friend. Read more

John Anderson, Variety: Many women would probably like to duct-tape their unfaithful mates to a toilet bowl, but watching it happen isn't quite as funny as it sounds. Read more

Melissa Anderson, Village Voice: Serious Moonlight has a backstory much more intriguingly dramatic than what's onscreen. Read more