Moonlight And Valentino (1995)

When her husband is suddenly killed in an accident, a woman (Elizabeth Perkins) must deal with the aftermath and things left unspoken. Her sister (Gwyneth Paltrow), stepmother (Kathleen Turner) and best friend (Whoopi Goldberg) attempt to help her but they all have baggage of their own. Based on the 1989 play by Ellen Simon (Neil's daughter) which is semi-autobiographical. At its worst, it's the kind of movie that gives "chick flicks" a bad reputation. The dialogue is contrived and weighted down with psycho babble and homilies. On its own terms, I suppose one could call it a superior example of a Lifetime movie. On the plus side, and it's a big plus, the four lead actresses often do some amazing things with the material, giving it better than it deserves. But isn't that what a good actor is supposed to do? Paltrow comes across the least but to be fair, her character is almost impossible to play. Turner has the best moment in the film, a small speech that doesn't come till the very end. If you require more from a film than good acting, you can safely skip it but there's a thrill about seeing good actors overcoming weak material and finding some truth. Directed by David Anspaugh (HOOSIERS). With Jon Bon Jovi, Peter Coyote, Jeremy Sisto and Josef Sommer.