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Starting Out in the Evening
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Starting Out in the Evening (2007) More at IMDbPro »

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Starting Out in the Evening (2007) -- This is the U.S. trailer for Starting Out in the Evening, directed by Andrew Wagner.
Starting Out in the Evening (2007) -- An ambitious graduate student convinces a writer that her thesis can resurrect his career.

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   1,598 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 19% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Andrew Wagner
Writers:
Brian Morton (novel)
Fred Parnes (screenplay)
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Starting Out in the Evening on IMDbPro.
Genre:
Drama | Romance more
Plot:
An ambitious graduate student convinces a writer that her thesis can resurrect his career. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
2 wins & 6 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Character actors I love: Frank Langella
 (From Planet All-Star. 28 December 2008, 7:23 PM, PST)

'No Country for Old Men' Tops With Critics' Awards
 (From IMDb News. 10 December 2007)

User Comments:
Notes from 2007 TIFF more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language and brief nudity.
Runtime:
111 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Filming Locations:
New York City, New York, USA
Company:
Cinetic Media more

Fun Stuff

Goofs:
Continuity: When Ariel wears her t-shirt in close-up shots, her necklace switches back and forth between hanging outside the shirt and mostly hidden under the shirt. more
Quotes:
Heather Wolfe: Men my age are like chewing gum; ten minutes of flavor, and then just bland repetition. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2007-12-01)" (2007) more
Soundtrack:
Baby Blues more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
35 out of 40 people found the following comment useful:-
Notes from 2007 TIFF, 7 September 2007
7/10
Author: Richard from Toronto

I saw this film at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival.

Starting Out in the Evening is based on the novel by Brian Morton, and stars Frank Langella in an understated role as Leonard Schiller, a once great novelist and now-retired literary professor. His previous books now long out-of-print, Leonard is struggling to finish his latest novel, a decade and counting in the making. Further distracting him from his novel is his genial but occasionally strained relationship with his daughter Ariel (Lily Taylor), who is nearing 40 and wanting a baby, but stuck back in a relationship with her ex-boyfriend Casey (Adrian Lester), who is most decidedly against the idea.

Another complication comes in the form of a young grad student, Heather (Lauren Ambrose), who has made Leonard the subject of her master's thesis. Heather is determined to discover the overriding theme in Schiller's work, the early part of which inspired her to pursue her dreams in college. The conversations that Leonard and Heather have cover the gamut of literary criticism and the creative process, touching on issues such as whether an author's personal life should inform their work, and whether an author can be pigeonholed into a single thematic thread.

As Leonard becomes more invested in Heather, these themes end up leading all the characters reaching pivotal decisions in their lives, paralleling the thrust of Leonard's early work around personal freedom.

Langella gives a fine performance as Leonard, who sees his time running out, and wonders if he has enough time, energy, and creativity left to finish one last book. Lauren Ambrose leaves Six Feet Under behind her as Heather, a driven but self-centered woman who wants to fit Leonard's books into her own preconceived notions and feelings, dismissing as less important those that don't fit the mold.

Lily Taylor was great as Ariel, a woman wanting the closeness and depth of relationship that she can't get from her father, so much so that she is willing to subordinate her own wants and needs. Adrian Lester plays Casey as the exact opposite of Ariel, a man who enjoys his relationship with Ariel, but not at the expense of his own dreams. Ariel doesn't come across as a victim; there's a hint of strength under the surface. And Casey doesn't come across as a complete jerk; there's a genuine love there that he doesn't fully appreciate.

All-in-all, Starting Out in the Evening ends up the night as an enjoyable movie, with good performances all around.

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