The Moment

Jennifer Jason Leigh,Alia Shawkat,Alessandra Torresani,Martin Henderson

The movie begins with a lot of photos of African and Middle Eastern people, in countries where there is instability. But this is the excellent work of photographer Lee, who is back home in the United States. She has broken up with boyfriend John, but she needs some of her equipment back from him and he's not answering the phone. She goes to his house and it's obvious the place has been abandoned, but there is food no one has eaten (no one human, anyway). Something has happened. She goes to the cops. Sgt. Goodman seems helpful. Later it is clear he has done a thorough job of investigating, and he does come up with answers.Lee goes to an exhibit of her photography. Her daughter Jessie is also a photographer, but her photos are merely art (very good art, too) rather than serving any substantial purpose. Jessie and Lee have a difficult relationship since Lee was hardly ever around when she was a child. And Lee's father Malik is now her ex-husband but they seem to have a friendly relationship.The photos are reminders of traumatic events, and with all that is going on in her life, Lee ends up in a mental institution.Four months earlier, Lee was recovering in a rehab facility from a bombing in Somalia. That's where she met John, who was also hurt and was so nice to her there.Then the movie goes back to the present. Peter, a lawyer, is also in the hospital receiving therapy. Dr. Bloom is treating them both.But the movie will get back to that. Lee gets out of the hospital and see the storage facility where John works and homeless Thomas lives. Lee and John have an enjoyable relationship which starts with her taking photos of him. Only later does it get troubled.And back to the present. Lee continues her therapy, worried that she killed John because she remembers doing something that could have killed him. Did she really? And Lee and Peter meet and become friends. One reason she likes him: he looks like John, but without a beard. And this is connected with the fact that the credits list a "Real Peter".Lee's relationship problems are complicated further, both four months ago and in the present, by her difficulties with Jessie.Some scenes are repeated, with some missing detail included on the second, third or fourth time.And the viewer finally gets some answers. Maybe not the ones that were expected or hoped for.