The Way She Was

I saw Evening a couple of weeks ago.

But don’t you go thinking there was a little dropping of the ball on my part, and that I failed to write about it because I was praying for La Lohan’s health, or because I was watching Madonna’s Live Earth performance over and over.

I just didn’t find it all that good…or all that inspiring, really.

The drama, exploring the romantic past and emotional present of Ann Grant (Vanessa Redgrave) and her daughters, Constance (Natasha Richardson) and Nina (Toni Collette), is a little bit of a mess – a pretty good-looking one, though.

As Ann lies in bed dying, she conveys to her daughters the defining moments in her life 50 years before, when she was a young woman attending her BFF Lila’s (Mamie Gummer) wedding.

The movie then flashes back, and we meet her younger self played by Claire Danes. We see her be pursued by Lila’s brother Buddy (Hugh Dancy), whom she rebuffs in favor of the older, more mysterious Harris (Patrick Wilson).

I know a few weeks ago I said, “Chick flick, schmick flick – I am sooo watching and enjoying Evening,” but unfortunately I didn’t. I found it dull and long…far too ambitious and all over the space-time continuum for its own good.

The lacks of emotional punch will make you want to cut this Evening short.

My Rating **

Photo: Focus Features.