Written by Ligiah Villalobos and directed by Patricia Riggen, "Under the Same Moon" is a bit like what you'd get if you crossed "El Norte" with a heart-tugging tale by Charles Dickens. Nine-year-old Carlitos lives with his grandmother in Mexico while his mother struggles to make ends meet in Los Angeles. Despite the harsh conditions of her life, Rosario is saving as much money as she can so that eventually Carlitos will be able to come and live with her. When his grandmother dies, Carlitos decides to make the dangerous trek to LA on his own, encountering numerous obstacles and assorted colorful characters along the way. (The plot is highly reminiscent of "A Boy Ten Feet Tall," a British film from the 1960s in which an orphaned boy travels thousands of miles from Port Said to Durban, South Africa in search of the aunt who lives there).<br /><br />Sentimental in the best sense of that term, this crowd-pleasing tearjerker is a simple but touching tale of the undying love between a mother and a son and of the resilient spirit that allows people living in difficult circumstances to carry on and endure. The movie shimmers with lovely performances by the exquisite Kate del Castillo as Carlitos' devoted, long-suffering mother; Maya Zapata as her no-nonsense, pragmatic best friend; Eugenio Derbez as a cynical day laborer who finds himself unexpectedly saddled with a pint-sized companion who always seems to get the better of him, and, above all, young Adrian Alonso who, as Carlitos, lights up the screen with his authenticity, sincerity and warmth. (America Ferrera also has a small role as a college student from the states who smuggles babies across the border to help reunite them with their patents).<br /><br />In the tradition of "The Bicycle Thief," "Forbidden Games, " "Sundays and Cybele," "The 400 Blows" and countless others, "Under the Same Moon" is a small, heartfelt film that artfully conveys a child's-eye-view of the adult world.