Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

The movie is wonderful and true, an act of love in all its contradictions and complexity

It's 1942. Henry 'Hopper' Nash (Sean Penn) and Nicky (Nicolas Cage) are small town best friends drafted into the Marines. With deployment weeks away, they work at the local bowling alley setting pins and chase girls. Hopper is infatuated with rich newcomer Caddie Winger (Elizabeth McGovern) but she's secretly the maid's daughter. Nicky gets Sally Kaiser pregnant and needs $150 for the abortion. Hopper and Nicky get beaten by Navy sailors after trying to hustle them playing pool. Hopper asks Caddie for the money.The first half is a slow coming-of-age romance. The second half takes some more intense turns. The problem is that Sally don't have much screen time before then. The movie doesn't invest that much in her plight. This is about Hopper and Caddie. Ultimately, it's a device to get at their own story. It's nice to see these great actors in their youth and there is a bitter sweet romance here.

In the Christmas of 1942, in Point Muir, California, the seventeen years-old Henry "Hopper" Nash (Sean Penn) is the best friend of the reckless Nicky (Nicolas Cage), who dates the local Sally Kaiser (Suzanne Adkinson). Henry and Nicky have enlisted themselves in the U.S. Marines and they are waiting to be summoned to travel very soon.When Henry sees the gorgeous Caddie Winger (Elizabeth McGovern), he has a crush on her and follows Caddie to find where she lives. He discovers that her address is a fancy manor on the top of the hill and Henry believes she is a wealthy teenager while she is actually the daughter of the maid.Sooner Caddie and Henry date each other and they fall in love with each other. Meanwhile Sally gets pregnant and Nicky needs a large amount for an abortion. They try to raise the money and when Nicky is desperate, he takes an attitude that will test his friendship with Henry."Racing with the Moon" is a sensitive and wonderful coming of age story. This film is the second feature of Richard Benjamin that shows an excellent work of direction giving the right doses of drama, romance and humor to the story.Sean Peen and Nicholas Cage give credibility to their irresponsible characters and the lovely Elizabeth McGovern is so beautiful that mesmerizes when the camera shows her beautiful face and eyes. The costumes and art direction are also fantastic and only yesterday I saw this film for the first time on DVD. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Adeus à Inocência" ("Farewell to the Innocence")

This movie was filmed in and around Mendicino, California. Beautiful part of the States. We had the good fortune of spending a long weekend there just a few years after this movie was made, when the area still looked the same. It brought back good memories.Sean Penn carries this movie as Henry, the fairly serious young man about to complete high school. One day his eye is caught by a new girl in town, the pretty Caddie (Elizabeth McGovern), whom he watches from afar, as she works at the movie house ticket booth, occasionally paying a young boy a few cents to deliver a simple flower to her. This is a "coming of age" story of these boys and girls. There appears to be good "chemistry" between Penn and McGovern, and in fact they became engaged as a result of making this movie together.Note: The DVD package says this is a "PG" movie, but there is some off-color language and a scene with brief male and female nudity. It didn't bother me at all, but it seems that PG-13 would be more appropriate.SPOILERS: One evening late, after the ticket booth closed, Caddie came across the street for a piece of pie, which Henry sold her even though he didn't work there. Then he followed her home, by jumping onto the outside of the bus (he was experienced, having jumped on moving trains many times, for fun). He discovers that she lives in a very nice estate, assumes she is of a wealthy family, refers to her as a "gatsby". But her mother is the maid for the wealthy family.Regardless, Henry and Caddie become close, fall in love. She finds out he is an accomplished pianist. "How did you learn to play so well?" he responds simply, "Lessons." His mother wanted him to be in Carnegie Hall, but he had no interest.Nicolas Cage is Henry's irresponsible sidekick, gets his girl pregnant, they seek an abortion. In an interesting casting, Crispin Glover plays a "Gatsby Boy", who taunts Henry by throwing his bowling ball before Henry, the pinsetter, gets his feet up and out of harm's way. So Henry runs over and punches him. This was a couple of years before Glover was George McFly in "Back to the Future."

I have introduced this movie to many of my friends, as it seems no one has really seen it, or heard of it, but it is truly Wonderful and whenever I get anyone to watch they always agree.A beautiful, bittersweet look at those touching, heart wrenching times in the 40's as the war was beginning and so many young men willingly went to trenches. I love the setting, California along the pacific coast, such extraordinary scenery. Sean Penn in this movie changed the way I looked at him, I realized his depth and sensitivity here. I have loved him ever since.I have always loved anything about the 40's and this movie offers it up in spades. From the movie theaters, the roller rink, the side jobs every one had,to the shoes Caddie desires, this movie really captures that era. The bowling alley is priceless. Nicholas Cage does an incredible job here, much more so than the overblown, self-conscious acting he acquires later.Movies I really like all have one thing in common, details. All the little details and extra touches in this movie make it special. From the pool room scene (nerve-racking) to the abortion scene to the treasure map scene, there are so many wonderful moments in this movie I am astonished it did not get more recognition. But I am a fan of movies that move slow and allow you to absorb the characters and background and plot. I hate car chases and fight scenes.This movie is about people and emotion and feeling and should be a must see for those who care about those sorts of things.