That Evening Sun
Directed By: Scott Teems
Starring: Hal Holbrook, Ray McKinnon, Carrie Preston
Rated: PG-13
1 hrs. 50 min.
Abner Meecham (Hal Holbrook, All the President's Men, Into the Wild) leaves a retirement community to return to his Tennessee farm, only to discover that his son has rented it out to a family whose father, Lonzo Choat (Ray McKinnon, Deadwood), is a notable low-life. In order to get his home back, Abner resolves to stand his ground, literally, in hopes of forcing the family out.
That Evening Sun, which is based on a short story by William Gay entitled I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down, is a true masterpiece. Not only is the adapted script well written, but the film in its entirety is beautifully crafted. It portrays the life of an aging man gracefully without coming off as condescending. Countless breathtaking compositions make up each scene, with some of the most wonderful cinematography that some Oscar contenders, past and present, cannot even compete with.
The camera work is not the only aspect of That Evening Sun that deserves recognition; tall of the actors are truly inspiring. Hal Holbrook deserves an Oscar nomination, if not a win, for his triumphant leading performance. He is able to make any viewer of any age sympathize with his situation and truly feel for Abner as a character. Ray McKinnon is also a bright star, supported brilliantly by Carrie Preston (True Blood), as his soft-spoken yet headstrong wife, and by Mia Wasikowska (In Treatment, the upcoming Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland) as his daughter Pamela.
That Evening Sun is truly a must-see; it is a film which deserves distribution throughout the country. It is currently open only in New York City, and will be open Friday, November 20th, in Los Angeles. Hopefully it will make it into theaters nationwide, because it deserves to be seen by all audiences. It speaks on many levels about the troubles of aging and is a perfect display of the South in all its glory.
Grade: A+
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