Evening

With weepy pianos and sounds of rain, Evening establishes itself from the very beginning as a slow-paced drama, exploring one woman’s memories. The woman under scrutiny is Ann (Vanessa Redgrave) who is on her deathbed. Her two daughters, Nina (Toni Collette) and Constance (Natasha Richardson), are at her bedside as she, in a haze of dreams, calls out to a man named Harris. Then, the flashbacks begin as we are taken to Newport Beach, 50 years earlier, when a young Ann (Claire Danes) is set to be a bridesmaid to her best friend Lila’s wedding.

At Newport, she is introduced to Harris, a charismatic young doctor whom everyone is in love with, including Lila. In that one weekend in Newport, the young Ann experiences love and tragedy; leaving her with memories that haunt her until the present day. Despite the hoo-ha, Evening never really amounts to much of an epiphany. What is supposed to be the greatest love of her life, the romance between Harris and Ann is flat and contrived. Why Ann would obsess over what was essentially a summer fling is anyone’s guess. And the “big secret” hinted at throughout was ultimately a let-down. The only salvo was Hugh Dancy’s portrayal of Buddy, Lila’s erratic brother. With such a solid cast, it’s disappointing that Evening fails to deliver the goods.

Cast Claire Danes, Vanessa Redgrave, Natasha Richardson, Toni Collette, Hugh Dancy Director Lajos Koltal Runtime 120 mins Opens 3 April (GSC International Screens only)

TEXT Sarah Chan