Starting out in the Evening (2007): "A dying world should only be saved for what it produced, not how it made us feel."

Notes: Beautiful, sad movie for grownups about ambition creativity, family loyalty and a dying New York literary culture where books were an entire city's obsession. We can argue whether that world actually existed or whether it benefited many more than its greatest cheerleaders. But this movie is less about that than about what its like to feel obsolete, in a place that used to breathe a confirmation of your very existence.

If you love books, of course you will love this movie. But you will also if you crave great, understate performances, fine writing and movies with a sense of theater that do also seem flat and literal. Frank Langella and Lauren Ambrose deserve Oscar nominations for their leading roles. It is saying something equally impressive that a when-all-else-fails actress like Lili Taylor gives the least impressive performance in the film.

Starting out in the Evening received an 86% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 4 stars from Roger Ebert. I rented it via Netflix where is also available as part of their Watch Instantly program. It is one of the great overlooked movies of this decade. Please do not miss it.

Comments

[Carrie]

I disagree. I saw the film in the theater and thought that every performance was painful. Lauren Ambrose was so shrill and desperate. I wouldn't enjoy talking to her character, or reading her stuff. I do agree that Lili Taylor's performance was flat also. I actually was pretty bored by the film and kept searching for ways not to be. I guess, the best part about it was there were nice shots of NYC included.

[Kevin]

To each their own, I suppose. I thought shrill and desperate was the essence of Ambrose's character. And there is a fair amount of buying into the value of a departed literary golden age, too.