That Evening Sun follows 80 year-old Abner Meecham as he goes AWOL from a Tennessee nursing home and returns to the farm he used to live in. His son Paul had power of attorney and rented the farm to Lonzo Choat and his wife and 16 year-old daughter. Abner isn't happy, as Lonzo is white trash and he wants to spend his end days in his home. Lonzo is trying to turn his live around and doesn't want crazy old Abner on his property. Most of the film is a battle of wills between them.
The pacing is deliberate and there are lots of lingering camera shots. I really liked the opening sequence that wordlessly and quickly setup up Abner's unhappiness in the nursing home and his escape. Hal Holbrook gives an amazing performance as Abner. My sympathies kept shifting as I saw him as rational and yet crazy and unreasonable. Lonzo's wife says to him "I wish you had something better to do with your life than to sit around being bitter and lonely. Surely that must grow old."
The story was a nice slice of life though I found the ending inevitable; and yet it took a turn I wasn't expecting but was completely believable. Still I thought the ending dragged and I wanted a little more closure with one character. This was writer and director Scott Teems first feature film and I look forward to his next effort. But see this one for Holbrook.
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