vernon film society
Bringing the best in world and Canadian film to film lovers of Vernon and the North Okanagan
EVENING
Director: Lajos Koltai
Cast: Claire Danes, Toni Collette, Meryl Streep, Vanessa Redgrave, Patrick Wilson,
Natasha Richardson
Runtime: 116 minutes
Country: USA
Language: English
Rating: PG (Coarse language, nudity)
Reviews: www.metacritic.com/film/titles/evening
Lajos Koltai has enjoyed a remarkable and prolific career as a cinematographer spanning both decades and countries; recently, he was behind the camera in such notable films as SUNSHINE (1999), MAX (2002) and BEING JULIA (2004), a Film Circuit favourite. In 2005, he made his directorial debut with the Hungarian feature, FATELESS, a haunting and evocative film which had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival®. He now returns with EVENING, a moving story about love, sisterhood and redemption.
Based on Susan Minot’s best-selling novel of the same name, EVENING employs a flashback structure to chronicle the lives of Ann Grant (the legendary Vanessa Redgrave, MRS. DALLOWAY, THE WHITE COUNTESS) and her two daughters, Constance (Natasha Richardson, THE HANDMAID’S TALE, THE WHITE COUNTESS) and Nina (Toni Collette, IN HER SHOES, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE). The film begins as Ann, an elderly woman, lies on her deathbed; a flood of memories has come back to haunt her in this final scene of her life, and she feels compelled to finally, after all these years, share her past with her daughters. From here, the story of her youth unfolds (with the young Ann played by the winsome Claire Danes, THE HOURS, SHOPGIRL), as she meets Harris (Patrick Wilson, LITTLE CHILDREN) and embarks on an unforgettable love affair that will affect the course of her life and the world of her memories. EVENING is an actor’s dream – the insightful, sophisticated writing of Minot and her co-screenwriter, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Michael Cunningham (The Hours ) has resulted in richly drawn characters carried along authentic emotional trajectories. The cast features several of the finest actors of recent generations, all of whom effortlessly bring to life a vivid portrait of love found, lost and, ultimately, transformed. This film is a rare dramatic treat.
"It resonates with gleaming ferocity as it unspools a story of regret, longing and resolution in two generations of women." - Connie Ogle , Miami Herald
"It courts its audience with a warm story about lost loves and paths not chosen, and it boasts an array of strong performances from its top-notch ensemble." - Adam Graham, Detroit News
