Jonathon Dabell
Full Moon In Blue Water is not a film that gets mentioned much in the filmography of Gene Hackman (nor Teri Garr and Burgess Meredith for that matter). This forgotten and forgettable drama is very much a character piece, the kind of slow-burning story that actors love to be involved in but audiences more often than not find tedious. In this one, all the main actors seem to be very much "into" their roles but the viewer doesn't really get the chance to feel quite so absorbed and involved in the story or the characters.Ex-merchant marine Floyd (Gene Hackman) owns a restaurant in coastal Texas called the Blue Water Grill. About a year before the story begins, Floyd's wife Dorothy (Becky Ann Baker) goes missing out in the bay and is presumed dead. But without a corpse to give him the sense of closure he so desperately craves Floyd spends his days pining for her, clinging to old home movies and photographs in the forlorn hope that she may return. As the weeks drift by, his life and his business begin to collapse around him but he is so wrapped up in depression and fading memories that he barely notices. Worse still is the way that Floyd distances himself from three people in his life who genuinely need him. First there's simple-minded odd-job man Jimmy (Elias Koteas) who does occasional repair work around the restaurant. Then there's the senile old father-in-law The General (Burgess Meredith), a crusty invalid who needs constant supervision and company. Thirdly, there's local gal Louise (Teri Garr) who would willingly be Floyd's new love if she could just get him to let go of the unhealthy obsession he has with his missing wife. Louise also knows that a local property developer is about to make a ridiculously cheap bid for Floyd's restaurant, and that in his state of melancholy he might just give away everything for which he has worked for a fraction of its value.Meredith gives the most memorable performance in the film, etching a funny but believable portrayal as the demented old-timer. Hackman is solid too, although crucially his character too often acts in a manner that lacks credibility. Earlier reviewers have noted that there is something false about the way he allows things to fall apart. Could he really be so besotted with the memory of a lost wife that he would let a business they set up together go to ruin? With her father still alive and dependant upon him for care and companionship, would he really act so distant? And with a beautiful woman like Garr literally offering herself on a plate, wouldn't he at the very least give this new relationship a go? For me, these are the flaws in character development that make Full Moon In Blue Water less engrossing than it should be. It's great to see films that are prepared to do away with action and special effects and high melodrama, but when a film is as character-driven as this one it needs characters that are credible and identifiable. Full Moon In Blue Water comes unstuck because on the one hand we can all relate to Floyd's predicament but on the other it's almost impossible to relate to his self-indulgent reaction to it. A watchable movie, then, but not really as fulfilling as it might have been.
jhclues
The loss of a loved one, especially a spouse or a child, can be devastating on the one left behind; and without some kind of closure, that same love, combined with the loss, can lead to an unhealthy obsession in which the object of that devotion can emerge as something so perfect that none among the living could ever hope to measure up to it. And it's just such a situation that is explored by director Peter Masterson in `Full Moon In Blue Water,' the story of a man who, even after many months, cannot come to terms with the loss of his wife, and has, by clinging so vehemently to her memory, effectively removed himself from the world of the living, despite the efforts of others who are close to him and depend upon him, including the woman who would love him-- if only he would give her the chance.Floyd (Gene Hackman) is the owner of the Blue Water Grill, situated on the coast of the Texas Gulf in the small town of Blue Water. He's made a living at it since ending a stint as a merchant marine, and it's pretty much all he knows. And for a time, when he shared it all with his beloved Dorothy (Becky Ann Baker), it was the perfect life. But it all ended when Dorothy disappeared one day out on the gulf, and was presumed drowned; a tragedy from which Floyd has never recovered. Now he spends his days watching home movies of his wife, reliving the moments they shared, which become even more perfect with every day that passes, and with each additional viewing. He's let his business slide, and doesn't realize-- or perhaps just doesn't care-- what a dangerous, downward spiral he's on. Floyd may be content wallowing in his discontent and misery, but there are those who need him and love him, and refuse to give up on him: His invalid father-in-law, The General (Burgess Meredith), would be lost without Floyd, as would Jimmy (Elias Koteas), the simpleton Floyd provides with a living by employing him for odd jobs around the restaurant, and as a companion for The General. But most especially, there's Louise (Teri Garr), a woman who cares deeply for Floyd, but just can't get through to him-- she simply can't live up to the image of perfection Floyd holds in his mind of Dorothy. But there's something else troubling Louise, too. She knows that real estate broker Charlie O'Donnell (Kevin Cooney) has made an offer to buy Floyd's place, and for a sum that's half of what it's worth. And in his diminished mental state, Floyd may be about to make one of the biggest mistakes of his life; Louise, however, is determined to avert it from happening. If only she can get through to Floyd in time; if only she can break through that wall of Dorothy's memory.Masterson delivers his story in a straightforward manner, without attempting any frills, tricks or exaggerations in an effort to heighten the drama. He simply gives you a story that is what it is; a look at the twists and turns life can take, and how when something happens to one it affects, not only that person, but those around him, and in turn, those around them. Subtly, but very definitely, it underscores the symbiotic nature of mankind and succinctly drives home the point that, indeed, no man is an island. As this film so aptly demonstrates, whether we choose to believe it or not, there is no such thing as absolute autonomy. Somewhere along the line, directly or indirectly, the behavior of one is going to have an effect on someone else. It's the underlying message of this film, and it's presented quite effectively by Masterson, although his approach is a bit too academic, perhaps. Human emotion forms the core of the story, and yet the film is not as emotionally involving as it could-- or should-- be. Masterson manages to maintain interest, but without that hook that would have really engaged his audience. Still, it's a good job, the film is well delivered and offers a satisfying experience, albeit one that could have been much more.As Floyd, Hackman gives a solid performance, creating a character that is believable and real. He gets neither too maudlin nor morbid with his portrayal, even in the depths of his depression, which tells us something about who Floyd really is: a guy who feels deeply, but is capable of bouncing back. Hackman makes him someone with whom you can empathize, but without getting too close. Everyone will be able to relate to Floyd on some level, inasmuch as loss is something we all have to deal with at one time or another, though that sense of identity is more of an inherent aspect of the story rather than due to anything that Hackman brings to it. It's Hackman's expertise, however, that maintains the film's credibility and makes that sense of identity accessible. And that's why Hackman's a star; he makes what he does convincing, as he does here, with a performance that is, in it's simplicity, natural and affecting.Teri Garr is effective, as well, turning in a sympathetic performance through which she successfully conveys, not only her love and concern for Floyd, but her frustrations in coping with the intangible and impenetrable image of Dorothy that Floyd has created in his mind. Garr is entirely convincing as Louise, lending her a blue-collar charm that she sells with her natural, charismatic screen presence. It's the supporting efforts by Koteas and Meredith that really makes this film click, however. Koteas finds just the right tone and shadings to make the hapless Jimmy convincing, and Meredith is a delight as the lovable old curmudgeon embraced by Floyd, in that he is his last link to Dorothy. `Full Moon In Blue Water,' then, is a meditation on life; and one that's definitely worth a look. I rate this one 7/10.
