Paper Moon

This is a significantly more positive and heartwarming movie than The Last Picture Show but it has a similar feeling of an achy desire for belonging that runs throughout this movie. While taking place decades prior to when The Last Picture Show takes place, it still so beautifully captures the sort of nothingness, poverty, and sadness, that was constantly present in the south and Great Plains states during this time period. It feels like the opposite side of the same coin though. Where The Last Picture Show chooses the more bleak take on this life and part of America, Paper Moon shows the more heartwarming, but still very realistic and believable, outlook on this life.  I couldn’t help but smile and laugh at so many natural uplifting moments between the two leads. Nothing felt forced or like it was supposed to be pulling at your heart strings in some over dramatic way and I loved that. I’d change nothing about this movie.