Watch Evening For Free

Waste of time

The Age of Commercialism

Absolutely Fantastic

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

My wife and I watched this movie at home on DVD from our public library.I don't usually seek out movies I missed when they were fresh but lately we have been watching the TV series "Homeland" and being impressed with Claire Danes in it I decided to look up her movies we might have missed, and this is one.The story starts in present time, which I suppose was the early 2000s, when the central character Ann is in old age and nearing death. The whole movie is her remembering the past and present issues her two daughters are dealing with. So it is presented as a back-N-forth, showing scenes of the 1950s then showing present day. It is very effective and we get to know Ann and those important in her life.There is a Harris she mentions in her delirium, those around her are not sure Harris was real. Until an old friend, played by Meryl Streep, shows up and explains Harris, played by Patrick Wilson in the 1950s. She and he had a thing briefly, did she regret that it didn't come to fruition?The story wants to make the point that life is NOT about missed opportunities and/or mistakes, life is about what you actually experience and where it takes you. No regrets.The central character is played by Claire Danes as the younger Ann and by Vanessa Redgrave as the older Ann. It a very nice touch one of Ann's daughters was played by Natasha Richardson who is Redgrave's real life daughter. Also Streep and her daughter played the older and younger versions of the same character. Great cast, good movie, sort of like reading a novel but over a 2-hour time period.

'Evening' is a film to ponder over rather than to enjoy. It currently has an IMDb user rating of 6.5 stars, but in general it has only received a moderate reception from film critics. We are told that it is a film about an elderly lady who is on her deathbed throughout the entire movie and is looking back on her life to review the mistakes that she feels she has made. Supported by two daughters who had different fathers, she tells us very early on that she has had 'several' husbands. The film opens when in a half conscious state she keeps speaking the name of another man of whom neither of her daughters are even aware. The story behind this emerges slowly through a series of half remembered flashbacks - often in a way that is quite difficult to follow on first viewing. 'Evening' is clearly intended to be a film of some significance, its theme, the self-assessment of ones own life as it draws to a close, is a universal one, and it must be reviewed on this basis - not simply by a trite comment that it was less (or more) enjoyable than expected. Unfortunately the unfolding of this story is an integral part of its appeal, so a detailed discussion would completely spoil the film for anyone yet to see it. Rather than this I have decided to restrict my comments to impressions formed when first watching it, followed by a brief assessment made after the second viewing which I found was necessary before I could fully follow the story. Readers should be aware that 'Evening' is much more polished than most new films and this critique may therefore not adequately reflect its very considerable qualities.1. 'Evening' is ultimately a 'soap opera' - probably intended to appeal primarily to women - but it is more profound than most films of this type and should provides equally enjoyable viewing for both sexes.2. Good points include its overall visual appeal and superb photography (which reminded me of Jack Cardiff's work at many points). Also I am hard of hearing and I appreciated that the optional DVD subtitles were firmly located in the black band below the wide-screen image. Oh how many fine films have been spoiled for me by a line of script superimposed along the bottom edge of the image and often unreadable.3. Next in importance to the general image quality is the acting, the cast here were given the opportunity to create real characters - not cardboard cut-outs - and they largely succeeded in this. Most films that include so many great actors feature several cameo performances presented largely in isolation, but here the interaction between these characters was exceptional. In particular I must rate a reminiscences sequence between Vanessa Redgrave (Anne) and Meryl Streep (Lila) as truly superb cinematography.4. The flashbacks feature a Newport "Blue blood' family which still believes in arranged marriages to secure the continuance of the family line and fortune. This is not P.C. today and is intrinsically hard to fully accept.5. The sound track is an abomination - whenever a Director fails to appreciate the proper impact of periods of silence many scenes become ruined by totally intrusive background music. If I want to see a musical I will pick one and enjoy what I am expecting, but too many dramas today are presented as half baked musicals and I have no time for this.6. The flashbacks are not presented as fragmentary dreamlike recollections but as an ongoing almost continuous story, which is very confusing 7. Much of the sequencing seemed all wrong. Anne on her deathbed appeared as if she should have had teenage grandchildren around her; instead one of her daughters was just considering starting a family. Anne tells us that she has had several husbands but the story as presented seems very incomplete as all the flashbacks relate to one of her pre-wedding romances.My final assessment after later consideration:.This film would have been better scripted sequentially. with the story gradually developing, and viewers left unaware of how things worked out in advance. This would have eliminated a lot of confusion, but might have conflicted even more with the original novel (which I have not read). Many database users have commented that the film already departs too far from this novel - but they have also suggested that the novel as written is almost unfilmable. Whether based on history, literature or drama; a film must never distort its source, but there is a solution to that problem.. Instead of claiming to represent the source material, the film can claim only to be a story inspired by it. By mutual agreement the necessary recognition can be paid in this way without inhibiting the screenwriter from doing his job properly.Ultimately we go to the cinema to be entertained, and I have to report that despite all its qualities I did not enjoy this film as much as 'Soft Fruit' - an Australian film with a very similar theme but clearly made with a much lower budget. Directed by Christina Andreef and produced by Jane Campion (the conjoint creators of 'The Piano'); this was filmed with a much less experienced cast, but somehow by the time it ended I found I was feeling as if I really knew the characters (and was wanting to root for them too!}. This never happened with the much more reserved characters portrayed in 'Evening" - leaving the viewer with something of the feeling of having watched a documentary presentation which gave no real sense of involvement.

While in her deathbed, Ann Lord (Vanessa Redgrave) repeats the name "Harris" and recalls the day on the 50's when she was an aspirant singer and traveled from New York to be the maid of honor of her wealthy friend Lila Wittenborn (Mamie Gummer) in Newport. Ann Grant (Claire Danes) is welcomed by Lila's alcoholic and reckless brother Buddy (Hugh Dancy) in the Wittenborn's cottage at seaside and he tells her that his sister is in love actually for their friend and servant Harris Arden (Patrick Wilson), who fought in the war and has graduated in medicine. Later the bride-to-be confesses her true feelings about Harris to Ann. However, when Ann meets Harris, she has a crush on him and they have a brief affair during one night stand while a tragedy happens with Buddy. Meanwhile Ann's daughters, the insecure and unstable Nina Mars (Toni Collette) and the happy wife and mother Constance Haverford (Natasha Richardson), are worried with their mother and have differences to be resolved."Evening" has one of the best feminine casts I have ever seen in a movie, with magnificent performances. The resemblance of the stunning Mamie Gummer with her mother Meryl Streep is amazing and she has a performance that honors the name of her mother. The locations, costumes, set decoration, cinematography and soundtrack are also awesome. Unfortunately the plot is confused and I have not clearly understood the message of this film. Why motherhood is so important in the story? Was Constance engendered in the night stand of Ann and Harris and he would be her father? Why Ann and Harris have not stayed together, if the guy really loved her like he confesses in their occasional encounter in New York? Which issues Ann Lord has resolved after the visit of Lila Ross? Was Buddy Wittenborn bisexual or his love for Harris was a fraternal love? Why Nina Mars changed her thoughts about motherhood in the end? It seems that the screenplay writers or the director failed since they were not able to make sense and fulfillment to the beautiful love story. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Ao Entardecer" ("In the Eventide")

The movie itself is really a cluttered wedding soap with the usual twists and predictability. The pacing in this movie is also all over the place moving far too quick in some places and moving far too slow in others. If this had been any other movie it would have earned itself a three out of ten. Those three stars would be for cinematography and music and also the way that the flashbacks work very well. The reason reader you will see five is because of the terrific performances that this movie offers. The greatest ensemble in cinema i believe has been put together for this movie. Vannessa Redgrave (god of acting), Natasha Richardson (always reliable and ironically Redgrave's daughter in real life as well as the movie), Meryl Streep (need i say any more?), Mamie Gummer (a very good newcomer who is Streeps real daughter and plays Streep's younger version), Glenn Close (really needs an Oscar god dammit!), Eileen Aitkins (always creates interesting characters), Toni Collette (your terrible Muriel!), Claire Danes (terrific as the lead. As well as this the two male actors are very good as well, Patrick Wilson as usual proves he is not just a muscular pretty face but can give a very good performance as well High Dancy who was good and making you want to punch him and still extend sympathy! Should see for performances alone!