Review of Evening (2007) by Emma B — 07 Jun 2010

This is a funny one. I expected to hate it, even with the love of my life Toni Collette in it, but it was actually really good. I think men might not get quite as much out of it as women, not because it's a chick flick, because it really isn't, but because one of the main themes is motherhood, and it is dealt with in a very emotionally powerful way, and I think you need women's emotions to understand it.

It's one of those films that beats your soul up if you let it. Weirdly for me, I have never read the book, but I imagine it has made the transition very well, as the narrative lends itself to cinema perfectly: there are some nice narrative devices that let you inside the characters' minds.

Don't be put off by the poster or potential girliness (or Claire Danes, which usually puts ME off instantly) - it's actually a very deep film with touching things to say about loss, regret, death and motherhood.

Well worth a watch.