Review from CNN Showbiz today

September 30, 1995

'Moonlight' weaves together pain, humor, tight jeans

by Laurin Sydney

Take four women, add a little laughter, a few tears and a sexy house painter, and you get "Moonlight and Valentino." The new film stars Kathleen Turner, Elizabeth Perkins, Whoopi Goldberg and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Perkins plays Rebecca, a young woman who suddenly becomes a widow when her husband is killed in a car accident. Surrounded by her friends and family, she is able to cope with the loss. "It's really a story about relationships, and family, and love, and support, and women," Turner says.

Turner plays a controlling woman who is desperate to win the love and approval of her two step-daughters, Perkins and Paltrow. ģI got insecure playing her; you know, it's like, 'Don't you like me?' I mean, poor Alberta. She's running up the sidewalk after Gwyneth Paltrow -- who's running away from her -- saying, 'Hug me, honey, hug me!'"

Although she won't hug her stepmother, Paltrow sees the soft side of her character. "She's a very sweet-natured girl and, I think, what drew me to her is the fact that she is trying to come to terms with who she is and ... she can't hide behind cigarettes and insecurities for the rest of her life."

Whoopi Goldberg plays Perkins' best friend, who encourages Rebecca to stop feeling sorry for herself. Goldberg, as usual, brings her wise wit to her role, but her character is not without quirks. Caught up in a less-than-perfect relationship herself, she breaks down in tears when she thinks her lover has left her, even though he just went to the gym.

The story of these women was first written as a play, inspired by the real-life experiences of Ellen Simon, the daughter of Neil Simon. "When my husband died and people came around and I felt safe to mourn and really cry, I realized how healing that is. So that was the catharsis, and I wanted to write about that."

But Simon used some creative license, adding a heartthrob house painter to the plot. For that role, rock star Jon Bon Jovi fit the bill -- and the jeans. "Those blue jeans looked great, you know? I mean the boy looks good," Turner blushingly admits. Perkins agrees that the blond singer's presence was a little distracting. "It was such a drag working with Jon Bon Jovi, the rock star, every day. It was so difficult just to walk out on the set," Perkins says.

(1.3M QuickTime movie)

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