Tells the parallel stories of nine-year-old Carlitos and his mother, Rosario. In the hopes of providing a better life for her son, Rosario works illegally in the U.S. while her mother cares for Carlitos back in Mexico.
The strong final third counterbalances the weaknesses of the first half.
– James Berardinelli,
ReelViews,
4 Apr 2008
fresh:
Under the Same Moon combines all the elements of an old-fashioned tear-jerker with the low-key, low-budget intelligence of a carefully crafted indie film.
– Jeff Shannon,
Seattle Times,
4 Apr 2008
fresh:
The performances -- and the movie's sideways glance at the culture of illegal immigrants, including a funny song about Superman ('He has no social security and no green card') -- give the movie its nicely controlled vitality.
– Philip Marchand,
Toronto Star,
4 Apr 2008
fresh:
It's a warm drama that humanizes Americas current illegal immigration debate even as it sentimentally stacks the deck in favor of the undocumented.
– Roger Moore,
Orlando Sentinel,
9 Apr 2008
fresh:
It's a bit of a guilty pleasure, with its formulas and its sap, but if it can get Lou Dobbs reaching for that Kleenex, it will have done its job.