Opened: January 15, 1988

Directed by: Norman Jewison

Starring: Cher, Nicolas Cage, Olympia Dukakis, Vincent Gardenia, Danny Aiello, Julie Bovasso, Louis Guss, John Mahoney & Feodor Chaliapin Jr.

Norman Jewison keeps Moonstruck contained enough that it feels like more of a play than a film.

Loretta Catorini (Cher) has been unlucky in love and wants her proposal and wedding plans with Johnny Cammareri (Danny Aiello) to go perfectly. When Johnny leaves the country, Loretta meets his brother Ronny (Nicolas Cage) and falls for him. Loretta’s parents Rose (Olympia Dukakis) and Cosmo (Vincent Gardenia) have secrets of their own.

Cher and Dukakis are hilarious throughout this film and neither tries to be. They deliver their lines perfectly, which leads to the comedy in their Italian household.

New York plays just as much of a character here as any of the actors do and the city is highlighted wonderfully from its little pockets of families to its grandness at the Met Opera.

Final say: You’ll easily be struck. ★★★★★