Movie No. 74 (2016): MOONLIGHTING

Moonlighting (1982)
Director: Jerzy Skolimowski
Cast: Jeremy Irons
In English and Polish (with English subtitles)

Nowak (Jeremy Irons) and three other Polish construction workers arrive in London, practically smuggling cheap hardware implements. They have been contracted to provide cheap labor in repairing the apartment bought by a Polish official living in London. Only Nowak speaks English. Problems arise when the news about changing political state in Poland reaches Nowak. Back home, the Solidarity movement falls. Travel from or into Poland is difficult. He keeps the news from the other three. Soon, the group is plagued with financial difficulty, which leads to Nowak's getting into shoplifting schemes and other petty crimes to make ends meet.

The script presents a daily pattern among the four men. Pattern changes, through subtly, when Nowak gets into his shoplifting schemes, which provide scenes that are tense and mostly well-orchestrated (kudos to good writing). Nowak can be interpreted as the metaphor for the hypocrisy of communism. Jeremy Irons does the Nowak character excellently (thanks to his good looks). 

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: October 30, 2016

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