It may be a full 'Moon,' but it falls short of a star film

I didn't want to merely like "Under the Same Moon," I wanted to love it. But its banal, artificial dialogue, cliché crutches and syrupy, made-for-TV pacing prompted me to settle for merely appreciating its good heart and remarkable, appealing cast.

There's a lot to like about Patricia Riggen's easily digestible, by-the-numbers melodrama about a 9-year-old Mexican boy on a quest to find his mother north of the border.

Cute and charismatic Adrian Alonso constantly plucks the heartstrings as Carlitos, who, after the sudden death of his kindly grandmother, sets out on a journey to reunite with his single mother Rosario, played with feisty confidence by Kate del Castillo. She has been working illegally for four years in Los Angeles to support her family back home.

The conscientious Carlitos has saved $1,200 for something important, such as a trip across the border. Of course, he loses the money, prompting him to depend upon the kindness or greed of strangers.

These include two American students ("Ugly Betty" star America Ferrera and Jesse Garcia), traveling musicians (the legendary band Los Tigres Del Norte, who also contribute to the soundtrack) and a grumpy illegal worker named Enrique (popular Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez) who becomes the lad's reluctant protector and pal.

The tempestuous tug between Enrique and Carlitos snaps and crackles, temporarily lifting "Under the Same Moon" out of its plodding predictability.

Of course, not every illegal-immigrant adventure can pack the power of "El Norte," Gregory Nava's lacerating 1983 drama about the land of supposed milk and honey.

"Under the Same Moon" is less interested in dealing with real issues of an immigration drama than with the warm and fuzzy feelings of a family reunion.

Riggen, making her feature directorial debut, achieves this easily, especially in a misty scene where Carlitos fantasizes his mother sleeps beside him under a ripe moon. Although I half-expected the lyrics to "Some Where Out There" to swell on the soundtrack: "Somewhere out there, beneath the pale moonlight…"

Screenwriter Ligiah Villalobos crams the script with verbal cliches, among them, "I have a bad feeling about this!," "Trust me!" and "I'm too old for this bull(stuff)."

The film also throws in the always-popular impromptu radio sing-along, this one with cute Carlitos wailing to a tune in a kitchen with an irked Enrique trying to out-karaoke him.

Cute. Very cute.

"Under the Same Moon"

..½

Starring: Adrian Alonso, Kate del Castillo, Eugenio Derbez, America Ferrera.

Directed by: Patricia Riggen

Other: A Fox Searchlight release. Rated PG-13. 109 minutes.