Maggie Moore (2000) User Reviews

Anatomy of a break-up?

[Havan_IronOak · 7/10 · 30 July 2003]

When elementary school teacher Alex breaks up with Maggie after she reads his diary we all understand why. But as the reality of being single comes to him and he recalls the many highlights in their relationship, he begins to have second thoughts.

Has he made a mistake?

Overall this was a good short and touched on a lot of good ideas but I had problem with the essential premise. The overly possessive girl that we saw at the beginning of the piece was not sympathetic enough of a character to support the events we see later in the piece.

I think I would have enjoyed this whole thing a bit more if the initial presentation of Maggie were a bit more well-rounded.

Breaking up with Maggie Moore is a superb film

[therivessayist · 10/10 · 30 March 2005]

Breaking up with Maggie Moore

I first saw the movie on IFC after channel surfing, coming upon the (I think) part where they are playing football, thinking that it was just another dull short film that some wannabe film student at NYU made, and quickly flipped the channel to something else. Again channel surfing sometime later, I came upon it again, but saw it from the very beginning to end and was completely blown away with the acting and cinematography. The acting is absolutely superb. I'm of the school in which acting means that you completely believe that the characters are real, that there is a suspension of belief that you are watching a movie and that what is in front of your eyes is actually happening (for short periods of time); not in which we have "great" movies where you are constantly aware that you are watching a movie, in which characters are doing and saying things that no one has ever or will ever do or say. There is a part where the Maggie character is looking directly into the camera, she is laying on her stomach (I think eating ice cream, and we assume is looking a the Alex character (it is one of Alex's flashbacks)); and the look on her face, the emotion that she conveys, is unbelievable. In this scene she says absolutely nothing. No one says anything. It is simply a closeup and she is looking directly into the camera. It is just so absolutely powerful!

Additionally the cinematography is awesome in how Alex is looking (imagining) flashbacks, looking at himself with Maggie in the past, then the camera swings back towards him in the same room without any division in setting (how exactly this is done (technically) I have no idea! This the director does throughout the movie very successfully.

Anyway, I rate this film (it's actually a short) up with Buffalo 66 as THE greatest, actually right AFTER Buffalo 66. The end is so absolutely powerful, yet so simple. Reviewers who critique this film because "the characters don't get developed," etc. are WAY off base.

educational and entertaining at best

[P3charmed · 9/10 · 17 March 2005]

Where are great director/writers like David Burkman, in a sea of crap? Maggie Moore(Better titled 'Breaking Up With Maggie Moore') is one of the best short films i've seen in a very long time. It's writing was fresh and delightful.

The main characters, Alex(David Norona)and Maggie(Alison Simpson) are believable in their parts as a couple breaking up after 3 years. As maggie puts it, 3 years of "waiting". When Maggie takes it upon herself to read Alex's diar...journal, she realizes that he is at a loss at how to keep the relationship alive. Ending their relationship, Alex seeks the advice and companionship of his best friend, while Maggie hooks up with a gym-man, alex colorfully nicknames "Hauns". After a few flashbacks, Alex begins to realize that he himself pushed away a woman who loved him. but has he realized it too late?

Excellent Ending

[optimal-2 · 8 February 2004]

This short is worth the viewing just for Alison Simpson's excellent acting in the last 30 secs of the film. Her facial expressions sum up all of her frustration and emotions from the relationship.

An Elementary Delight

[markgoff · 2 March 2004]

This is a charming little short even though the story line of a couple with conflicting attitudes towards permanancy in a relationship is a bit shopworn. Though her character is a bit uneven, Alison Simpson as Maggie shows strong acting ability, particularly in the last scene as she struggles with her emotions. David Norona, as her commitment-shy boyfriend, does a fine job as he tries to return to the carefree life modeled by his loser best friend (Peter Bedgood) while his hearstrings continue to pull him back to Maggie. The director, David Berkman, handles quick edits and cutbacks with aplomb, and the opening scene of a chaotic kindergarten provides a perfect prelude to the disarray of the emotions between the characters.

Not a bad way to spend a half-hour. Thanks much to Independent Film Channel for showcasing this little gem.