Once in a Blue Moon: Circus Life or Bust

Is it worth your time?

If you like movies that feel like they were pulled out of a time capsule buried in someone's backyard, then sure, give Once in a Blue Moon a spin. It’s for the folks who find joy in weird, clunky transitions and acting that occasionally feels like it’s happening on a stage instead of a set. If you need your cinema tight, fast, and logical, you’ll probably want to skip this one.

The whole premise is just absurd enough to work. You have these stuffy, high-society types trading their pearls for oversized shoes and trying to blend in with a traveling circus. It’s got that slightly dusty vibe that makes you want to sneeze while you’re watching it. 🎪

Odd little things

• The makeup work is… something else. It looks like they just smeared grease on their faces and hoped for the best.
• There’s a scene near the middle where a character just stands by a wagon for way too long. I think he was waiting for a cue that never came.
• The way they handle the Russian Revolution is so lighthearted it’s almost offensive, but in a weirdly charming, vintage way.

It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in A Damsel in Distress, though nowhere near as polished. It’s more like someone found a box of old theater props and decided to make a film around them. You can tell they were having fun, even if the plot holes are big enough to drive a circus wagon through.

There’s this one moment where a character tries to perform a bit of physical comedy and just sort of trips over his own feet. It wasn't scripted, I’m almost certain. The director just left it in because why not? It gives the movie a heartbeat, even if the thing is a bit wheezy.

I wouldn’t compare this to Brown of Harvard or anything that takes itself with a lick of seriousness. This is pure, unadulterated nonsense with a dash of historical panic. Some of the background extras look like they’d rather be literally anywhere else, which is honestly kind of relatable.

It doesn't end with a bang, but it doesn't really end at all. It just sort of stops, like a song that fades out before the last note hits. I kind of respect that. 🤡