LongLiveTheNewFlesh27 Under the Same Moon is a horrible, horrible movie. I was in agony watching it. It's so boring, so sentimental, so shamelessly one dimensional in it's portrayal of the heroic immigrant child and his mother, separated by those darn awful white people who hate foreigners. Whatever political stance you take on illegal-immigration, whatever side you lean towards, you can't deny that this film takes a complex, multi-faceted problem and trivializes it, turning it into a simple battle of good versus evil. Not only does it attack it's subject matter without an ounce of nuance, but it is also a horribly made film. You don't get a sense of the director at all, it's just so bland and generic. Sometimes that's okay with me when the story is gripping on it's own but... whoo, wee! This film could have used some style!The characters are as horrible as everything else in the film. They don't feel real in the slightest. Both Carlitos and Rosario are one dimensional victims who were supposed to cheer on, right up to the unspeakably awful ending where they see each other across the street and were supposed to feel all emotional because finally they've found each other. Honestly, I just wanted them both to get hit by a bus or something. Rosario and Carlitos are terrible characters, but they're not the worst in the film. The worst, most god-awful garbage character is Enrique, the classic "lone wolf" type character. He's brooding and sulky and doesn't want to help Carlitos but big surprise he ends up sacrificing himself so the kid can escape. Wow, I've never seen that in a movie before!So, in conclusion, if you like your movies hyper politically-correct, un-nuanced, terribly acted, directed, written and shot, then I would recommend this trash to you.

Rob Starzec This semester, I have had to sit through a bunch of not-so-great films in my global road movie class. The not-so-great ones have consisted of cheaply made documentaries and films that have conveyed the essence of a journey with little to no effect on the characters. With Under the Same Moon, we get a story about a clear journey of a young boy, Carlitos, trying desperately to cross the border into the U.S. and finding his mother in L.A.Some may find this unrealistic, but Carlitos is amazingly intelligent at the age of 9. He has a special way of connecting with adults and sometimes manipulating them in order to get what he wants. This is not to say there is a maniacal or evil motive behind what Carlitos wants from adults, but he is a natural at convincing others to help him, and he must be since he is limited due to his age.On the reverse side, we see his mother living in L.A. in order to make money to support little Carlitos with not one, but two jobs as a maid. She is constantly questioning what will help her son in the long run, which is heartbreaking since Carlitos sometimes thinks that his mother abandoned him. What adds to the mother's struggle is the fact that she is an "illegal," so she must also decide what puts her in a better position to support her only child.While the mother's story is more dramatic, Carlitos' journey is full of heart and many laughs, especially after he befriends a man named Enrique. Basically, Carlitos depends on this stranger, but Enrique is reluctant to help since the kid annoys him. It is a great love/hate relationship which has us hoping Enrique will come to his senses and do the right thing.I love how the film combines aspects of the melodrama with the political issue of immigration which is tied to desperation for work. There is little to say about the film in a negative manner except that it may seem cheesy at certain points. Also, if you're looking for a film with complexity you may want to look elsewhere since the plot for this film is simple and straightforward, but it is a fun and touching story.3.5/4.0

secondtake Under the Same Moon (2007)This story is one that will feel too close to home to many viewers--immigrants of all kinds, and parents who have ever been separated from their kids. The emotional stakes get piled so high you know that it can't end in disaster (the audience would be angry), so you kind of wait to see how the inevitable gets worked out.What holds it completely together is the stellar acting of the lead boy, played by Adrian Alonso, with great support from his pretty but a bit restrained mother, played by Kate del Castillo. You can't help but feel for them, and the many hardships they encounter will move you right along with the events.Which is the only conspicuous problem with the movie--the hardships are endless and brutal and almost comically classic. I'm sure they're all true enough, and I'm sure there are even individuals who face all these things in one lifetime. But it all happens in a week as the days tick off one by one to the critical weekly phone call. It's too much, really, no matter how you cut it--unless you think of it as a kind of modern Grimm fairy tale. In those, terrible things happen to kids and yet there is a dramatic outcome you take in stride. The fact this is kind of knowingly over the top happens when our two leads come within feet of each other (in the sprawling city of Los Angeles) and don't know it. Could be, but it doesn't help any sense of realism.And yet it is filmed with an attention to small details, to making people reasonable (bad and good people both) and believable. That's eventually all backdrop to the tale, complete with wicked relatives, a knight in shining armor, and a couple of scofflaws who come to the rescue just in time.It'll make you cry, and you might get mad at being so manipulated. But I think it's worth it.

Dani Greenfield Under the Same Moon is a heart-wrenching story about a young boy trying to find his mother in America. He daringly crosses the border from Mexico, risking his life to finally be at peace in his mother's arms. It is a beautiful story of friendship and yearning filled with moments that will make you cry and moments that will make your heart grow ten times it size. The young boy, named Carlitos, plays the role of an abandoned child incredibly, leaving his home after his Grandmother passes away. He puts his life into the hands of two unskilled coyotes that just barely get him across the border. Carlitos meets many helpful people along the way, one who risks his own deportation so Carlitos can find his mother. Rosario, Carlitos's mother, played by Kate del Castillo, portrays her role with such emotion that you can't help but believe that this situation is real. She struggles to find work so she can make enough money to pay a lawyer to help her obtain a green card and move her son to California. The movie portrays, what I believe to be accurately, what it means to live in America as an illegal immigrant. There are scenes when workers are taken away to be deported, and you can't help but think about those who are living in fear every day of being sent back to Mexico. The movie did a great job of shedding light on the topic of illegal immigration evoking sympathy from the audience. It was an incredible movie that everyone should see. Make sure to bring a box of tissues!