Review of Starting Out in the Evening (2007) by Amanda C — 11 Dec 2010

The performance from Frank Langella is the same as the film itself, introverted, understated and compleatly wonderful. He carries the film, painting an intimate portrait of a man who has lost all sense of purpose and drive. Lauren Ambrose plays perfectly next to him, bringing the same energy and enthusiasm to her role that she had in Six Feet Under, but with an added level of sophistication, and Lili Taylor is fabulous, giving a performance with just as much energy as Ambrose, but with more force and reality behind it. The contrast between between the women of the film and the men is striking. The women are full of energy and life, while the men are reserved and withdrawn. It's a beautiful contrast, brought out through an incredibly literary script, that still manages to flow through the diologue.

There is a wonderful contrast between Lenard's apartment and the outside world as well. The georgous reds, yellows and oranges of his apartment, saturated and bright, with the gloomy, desaturated blues and greys of the streets. I'm sure that someone more adept could come up with reasons for this, but the colouration is beautiful.