Sedona, AZ: All couples go through a rough patch or two – misunderstandings, distractions, temptations. Then there’s the weekend getaway for Louise and Ian, the couple in crisis imagined at the heart of Adrienne Shelly’s screenplay for “Serious Moonlight.” What begins with rose petals strewn in a path to the bedroom somehow ends up one bad argument later with Ian held captive and his patient wife determined to salvage their 13-year marriage.
Two-time Emmy nominee Cheryl Hines makes her feature directorial debut in “Serious Moonlight,” which premieres in Sedona on Tuesday, October 20. There will be two screenings of the film at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Harkins Sedona Six Theatres. The film is being presented by the Sedona International Film Festival in this one-night-only special engagement as part of its popular Tuesday Cinema Series.
“We are so proud to be presenting this film eight weeks before its theatrical release in New York and Los Angeles,” said Patrick Schweiss, film festival director. “The stellar ensemble cast including Meg Ryan and Oscar-winner Timothy Hutton and the brilliant script by Adrienne Shelly make this a must-see for audiences.”
After she arrives at her country home for a romantic weekend getaway, things don't go exactly as planned for high-powered Manhattan lawyer Louise (Ryan). First, her husband of 13 years, Ian (Hutton), tells her that he's leaving her for a younger woman (Kristen Bell). Then, one thing leads to another, and pretty soon Ian finds himself held captive by an oddly cool Louise who explains that she won't release him until he professes his love for her and commits to working on their marriage.
That's when things REALLY start to go wrong. The unexpected arrival of an opportunistic young gardener (Justin Long) and Ian's impatient mistress only serve to complicate the crisis even further, while somehow forcing Louise and Ian to reckon with their past and realistically deal with their future.
