Get your teeth into Moonlight Mile

Moonlight Mile is a compelling story of how three people deal with the unexpected and violent death of a young woman.

The opening scenes are of the main characters getting ready to go to the funeral.

As the funeral cars head to the church the camera focuses on the everyday events taking place on the street — a baseball game, a wedding, a car wash — rather than the occupants of the cars.

Life may have stopped for the loved ones, but it continues for everyone else, a theme that runs right through the film.

The young woman being buried is Diana Floss, daughter of JoJo (Susan Sarandon) and Ben (Dustin Hoffman) and girlfriend of Joe Nast (Jake Gyllenhaal).

Joe is living with the Flosses and is starting to feel a little trapped.

He’s become an honorary child of theirs — Ben makes him a partner in his business and JoJo treats him like she would her own child.

Things start to get complicated when Joe strikes up a friendship with Bertie (Ellen Pompeo) a pretty employee at the local post office.

This relationship underlines for him the need to get on with his life, but how can he do this without hurting Ben and JoJo?

Moonlight Mile is ideal if you are looking for a meaty drama, with a pinch of comedy and a little tragedy thrown in for good measure.

Despite the storyline, Moonlight Mile isn’t as depressing as you might think.

Drama, 15, ***