Year: 2007
Director: Andrew Wagner
Writer: Brian Morton, Fred Parnes, Andrew Wagner
Cinematographer: Harlan Bosmajian
Cast: Lauren Ambrose, Karl Bury, Anitha Gandhi, Jessica Hecht,
Sean T. Krishnan
Running Time: 111 min.
OFFICIAL SITE
In this big screen adaptation of Brian Morton’s novel, director Andrew Wagner examines the lives of three New Yorkers who tug on one another’s vulnerabilities as they each struggle to move forward at different junctures in their personal lives.
Leonard Schiller (Frank Langella) is a 70-something out-of-print novelist who shuts himself away to complete the book he has been working on for over a decade. When Heather (Lauren Ambrose of Six Feet Under), a graduate student writing her thesis on Schiller’s previous works, bursts into his life to uncover information about his past, she immediately inspires new emotion and vigor in the life of the aging writer. Meanwhile, Schiller’s daughter, Ariel (Lili Taylor), is nearing forty, without a stable relationship, and eager to have a baby. As father and daughter obsess about time and how much they have left to make the changes they want to see in their lives, Heather pursues her project fearlessly and helps them gain the courage to face time’s unstoppable forward motion.
Wagner allows the subtle but profound messages of this character-driven film to impact the audience through strong performances and an artistic portrayal of intellect. The story itself reveals the power and beauty of age-defying relationships in an unpredictable narrative format.
Nominated for a Grand Jury Price at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, Starting Out In the Evening has gained a great deal of critical acclaim for lead actor Langella. Many critics call this Langella’s most compelling work to date, likely to be recognized during awards season. It’s Ambrose who’s the bigger surprise, holding her own with Langella on the big screen.
