Twilight is directed by Robert Benton who also co-writes the screenplay with Richard Russo. It stars Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon, Gene Hackman, James Garner, Stockard Channing, Reese Witherspoon, Giancarlo Esposito and Liev Schreiber. Music is scored by Elmer Bernstein and cinematography by Piotr Sobocinski.
Harry Ross (Newman) is working for Jack (Hackman) and Catherine Ames (Sarandon). When one day he is sent to deliver a package for Jack, it turns out to be the starting point of trouble that opens up a 20 year old missing persons case involving Catherine's ex-husband.
Twilight, the word in this case signifying persons in the twilight of their lives, is on the surface a standard murder mystery infused with noirish blood. But although the film never gets above a steady beat, where subtlety of performances and tone are key, it's a better picture than the poor box office it garnered suggests. However, in spite of the quality that comes with said performances and script, the latter sinewy and begging for the mature film fan's attention, picture is a little too subtle for its own good. When action does come into play it feels like an intrusion, misplaced even, which shouldn't be the case as there is, after all, a suspected murder and private investigation going on in the plot. The blend isn't quite right in spite of the intelligence and thought that's gone in to make the characters engaging.
The whole calm over chaos approach taken by Benton (Kramer vs. Kramer) is however admirable, many people like dialogue driven movies, especially ones dripping with noir atmospherics, myself included, but it does put itself out as being only accessible to a select audience. That's why it failed at the box office; well that and the fact that this A list cast of some distinction meant expectations went through the roof prior to its release! But there's still much to enjoy as the seasoned performers dally around themes of mortality, loyalty and forbidden fruit, with the rose tinted cloud of nostalgia hovering constantly over head. It's apt that the film clearly harks back to noirish movies of yesterday, for its main characters are forced to constantly look backwards, to times passed, times never to be had again.
The good far outweighs the bad here, but you need to be in a select band of film lovers to get the best rewards from it. 7/10
Harry Ross (Newman) is working for Jack (Hackman) and Catherine Ames (Sarandon). When one day he is sent to deliver a package for Jack, it turns out to be the starting point of trouble that opens up a 20 year old missing persons case involving Catherine's ex-husband.
Twilight, the word in this case signifying persons in the twilight of their lives, is on the surface a standard murder mystery infused with noirish blood. But although the film never gets above a steady beat, where subtlety of performances and tone are key, it's a better picture than the poor box office it garnered suggests. However, in spite of the quality that comes with said performances and script, the latter sinewy and begging for the mature film fan's attention, picture is a little too subtle for its own good. When action does come into play it feels like an intrusion, misplaced even, which shouldn't be the case as there is, after all, a suspected murder and private investigation going on in the plot. The blend isn't quite right in spite of the intelligence and thought that's gone in to make the characters engaging.
The whole calm over chaos approach taken by Benton (Kramer vs. Kramer) is however admirable, many people like dialogue driven movies, especially ones dripping with noir atmospherics, myself included, but it does put itself out as being only accessible to a select audience. That's why it failed at the box office; well that and the fact that this A list cast of some distinction meant expectations went through the roof prior to its release! But there's still much to enjoy as the seasoned performers dally around themes of mortality, loyalty and forbidden fruit, with the rose tinted cloud of nostalgia hovering constantly over head. It's apt that the film clearly harks back to noirish movies of yesterday, for its main characters are forced to constantly look backwards, to times passed, times never to be had again.
The good far outweighs the bad here, but you need to be in a select band of film lovers to get the best rewards from it. 7/10