That Evening Sun (Dogwood Entertainment)
Hal Holbrook Shines
You have heard it said a thousand times that such and such got better with age. Well in the case of Hal Holbrooks acting skills it is true. At eighty-four his talent has never shone brighter than it does now, and his latest film That Evening Sun is a perfect example.
In this film Holbrook plays Abner Meecham, an eighty year old man living in an old folks home. One day he tires of it and starts out for his home place. Arriving there he finds his son Paul (Walton Goggins) has rented it out with an option to buy. The new renter is Lonzo Choat (Ray McKinnon).
Abner has a very low opinion of Choat and tells him so. He also tells him to get out of his house and off his land. When Choat refuses, Abner moves into the tenant building. From there he and Choat engage in a duel of wits.
The plot of the movie only serves as a loose backdrop for the acting displayed. Holbrook is amazing in his portrayal of Abner. He captures the essence of the man totally and makes you ache when he aches, laugh when he laughs, and suffer when he suffers.
Opposite him McKinnon is equally good. He totally immerses himself in the role of Choat and captures his redneck ways as well as his inner strengths. Choat is the most complex person in the movie but you feel McKinnon knows him completely.
The other outstanding performance is by Carrie Preston as Ludie, Choats wife. Preston has always been a secret talent in Hollywood but this role may just be her breakout. She projects the weariness of a woman who has seen it all but still has the courage of a warrior in the battle against adversity. Prestons Ludie seems to be living on raw emotion and the next blow could extinguish her fire.
Goggins is satisfactory as Paul while Barry Corbin makes a solid impression as Abners old friend Thurl. Dixie Carter (Holbrooks real life wife) appears in a nonspeaking part as Abners deceased wife Ellen. There isnt a weak performance anywhere in the movie and that is a rarity for films today.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence.
That Evening Sun deals with the subject of aging. Abner is a man who has outgrown his usefulness. He is a burden to his son and to society as a whole. What he needs to do is just fade away, but he cant. He still has a brain and he still has a heart. Surely there must be somewhere he can fit in and enjoy the last few days of his last life.
If you enjoy seeing near perfect acting then watch this film. It has more than its share. Holbrook shines and the rest of the cast glow.
I scored That Evening Sun a setting 6 out of 10.
