Jazz Radio 94.1fm and Birch Carroll and Coyle co-sponsored the Australian Premiere of the movie "EVENING" on Wednesday, 18th July, starring Claire Danes, Toni Collette, Vanessa Redgrave and Meryl Streep. Patrons included presenters and volunteers from 94.1fm and prize winners for the promotion.
The evening commenced with an informal gathering in the foyer that included a live jazz band and Doug Cummins, the 94.1fm breakfast announcer, introduced presenters and prize winners to the audience prior to the film commencing.
The Movie
"Evening" is a film about life, with the influences and relationships that shape the destiny of the various characters. Vanesa Redgrave plays Ann Grant Lord, bedridden, and close to death, being cared for by her two daughters and a nurse. In the twilight of her life she reminisces through flashbacks about the pivotal moments of her life and a love affair that was prematurely ended by the tragic death of a friend.
Her daughters listen as she rambles, almost incherently, about the affair in her youth that appears to have been tinged with regret. The daughters appear to have had no inkling of the events which changed the course of her life and Nina, played by Toni Collette is intrigued by hints of her mothers unknown past. Nina has her own issues to deal with and she senses that discovering the past of dying mother may be the key to solving her own problems.
The film deals with the borders between infatuation and love. The flashbacks center around the wedding of Lila to Carl. Ann briefly meets Harris, a former employee and now family friend. There is an instant chemistry between Ann and Harris but this becomes complicated when Ann learns from her best friend Buddy, that Lila has been secretly in love with Harris since her youth. Lila reveals that her love for Harris is not reciprocal. Ann and Buddy encourage Lila to pull out of the wedding but Lila knows that her destiny is set.
Cynics might suggest that there are elements of a sophisticated Mills and Boon novel with unfulfilled love ruling the lives of the main characters. We slowly learn that Buddy has always loved Ann but she is not interested and is infatuated with Harris. This leads to a tragedy after the wedding that shapes the rest of their lives.
As we flash forward to the present day, we find that the central characters have married with children but there is a sense in them all of regret and lost love.
As Ann draws close to death, she is visited by her friend Lila who she has not seen for many years. Ann has some lucid moments as she asks about Harris and they both ponder what might have been.
Ann's troubled daughter, Nina, draws some inspiration from her mothers last moments and the words of her friend Lila "mistakes don't matter" with a message of "what will be will be".
Evening is a beautifully told story of life and love from a womans eyes with many poignant and bittersweet moments. The director
Lajos Koltai has placed all of the male characters in purely supporting roles as the women tell the story. Some examples include Patrick Wilson who plays Harris, providing a backing vocal, to Claire Danes who sings at the wedding and Barry Bostwick who appears as one of the patriarchs at the wedding but barely says a word in the film despite being seen often. These are are all designed to place the focus of the film on the women.
The cast is exceptional with Claire Danes breathtaking as Ann and Toni Collette once again producing a powerful performance that must surely get the attention of the Academy. Evening is a thought provoking and sensitive film produced with wonderful style and grace. Highly recommended.
© John Reid
