Starting Out in the Evening
Have you had it with animated flicks? Have you heard and seen enough police chases? Have you seen enough penguins? Are you ready for a film that speaks to the heart and mind…one that offers a mature story with quality acting and sensitivity? I hope so for Starting Out in the Evening offers us Frank Langella, Lauren Ambrose, Lili Taylor and Adrian Lester as its stars, marvelous direction by Andrew Wagner and a screenplay by Wagner and Fred Barnes based on Brian Morton's Pen/Faulkner award-nominated novel. Together, these four take the book and create a film of beauty and poignancy rarely seen in films lately.
Essentially, it's another love story. This time, between an ageing professor and once-famous writer (Langella), and a young, attractive graduate student (Ambrose), who comes to interview him for her graduate thesis. At the same time, another plot line is developed with the professor's daughter (Taylor), and her renewed relationship with a former boyfriend (Lester). The intricacies, discoveries and development of these two relationships are what gives this film enchantment. (I have never seen my wife as alert, interested and excited about a film in ages!)
There is an unfolding of time shown so that we come to know and care about each of the characters. The attention which Wagner took to create the transformation of the two relationships was masterful, simply poignant. I predict Academy Award nominations all-around for acting, script and direction. Yes, it's that good. Start out your evening and see this one!
Opens November 23
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