Definitely Worth the $9 for Me

Scott and I went to the movies this weekend with some great friends of ours, and we agreed to split off guys from girls since we had some different things in mind for the night. Cathy and I saw Evening, and I had read some negative reviews, so I wasn't so sure I would come out of the theater satisfied.

I loved the film. While I can see merit in the reviews which say that it is oversentimental or choppy in transitions, I loved it anyhow. In so many ways, it was like reading a book on the screen. The storyline transitions often from past to present because the main character, Ann Grant, is on her death bed thinking back to the various experiences and perceived mistakes of her lifetime. The older Ann is played by the amazing Vanessa Redgrave, and the younger Ann is played beautifully by my favorite, Claire Danes. The older Ann is cloudy from the pain medication and in the final stages of her life where she goes in and out of consciousness. While in this state, she mutters the name "Harris" aloud, and her daughters (played by Toni Collette and Redgrave's real life daughter Natasha Richardson) have no idea who this person could be. The audience soon learns that Harris was a memorable love affair for the young Ann.

The scenes are beautifully written and perfectly filmed, and you find yourself wanting to be present at the Newport wedding where Ann met Harris so long ago. Despite these beautiful images, the many messages of the film are what stick with me the most after watching it.

I love that it highlights the intricacies of female relationships without going overboard as a number of "chick flicks" do. Ann's relationship with her freind Lyla is emphasized in their younger days and again as an older Lyla (played by Meryl Streep) comes to see the ailing Ann. Ann's daughters also have their own set of problems that are complicated by their mother's condition, but it is also this situation that seems to bring everything into focus for troubled Nina (Toni Collette). Mother-daughter relationships are never perfect nor simple, and this movie is really honest in its portayal of that.

Most importantly, I love that Ann looks back on her life and remembers her times with Harris as important and worthy even though she went on to have a career, husbands, children, and grandchildren. Reminding her daughters that "there are no mistakes," Ann recognizes that Harris was important as he taught her how to be in love or "how good it can be" as she states it.

So often movies, books, and music interpret a perfect love story to be between a beautiful woman and the man that is "the one" for her. This film, on the other hand, reminds us that all relationships have their place and are important in the development of an individual. Whether the person is the one for you or not, he teaches you something very valuable about yourself, and as Meryl Streep's character explains, "we are mysterious creatures, aren't we?"