| |
Evening, so named because unless you start it well before noon, you won’t finish it until sometime that Evening . . . okay, maybe it’s not that bad.
A star studded cast of well-known actresses. Even Meryl Streep’s and Vanessa Redgrave’s real life daughters star with them in this movie. Vanessa Redgrave’s character is on her deathbed. And in her final days, she tries to confront a defining moment in her past that really shaped her entire life. When she was young, she attended her best friend’s wedding. While there, she would find the love of her life and loose her best friend. While flashing back to her past, her two grown daughters are left trying to understand what is happening to their mother and how they might go on in life with out her. Each is on their own journey to understand the twits life throws in their paths. Maybe our pasts aren’t full of mistakes but instead full of moments that define who we are.
The long list of notable actors is an appealing aspect of the movie - the stars certainly do shine in the Evening. Though many of the characters are rather odd, the cast does a decent job of portraying them. And, the visual depiction of 1950’s Newport is spectacular. The story, however, falls short of being truly compelling. Vanessa Redgrave’s deathbed reminiscing is almost too mundane to be interesting to everyone. Her character is revisiting a defining moment in her life, but not necessarily a remarkable one. No horrifying secrets are revealed, no real demons are conquered - even though she does draw some clarity and peace from her recollections. The ladies may find Evening emotional and moving, but most men will be at a complete loss when it comes to the meaning, the message, and the money they paid for their ticket. |
