The brilliant French writer Albert Camus wrote, ‘life is the sum of all of your choices’. In the new film ‘Evening’ Vanessa Redgrave played Ann Grant Lord, an elderly woman who lies dying in the bedroom of her family home, as times from her life flash before her. As her final days pass, she reflects on her life, and the choices she has made. Ann is tended by nurses, and her two grown-up daughters, Constance and Nina.

As ‘Evening’ unfolds, Ann’s biggest choice, or even more to the point regret, is revealed. She lets go of her dreams of being with Harris, the man whom she truly loves, and decides on a safe marriage with a husband with whom she has two kids.

Such is life! In one of the most key and touching scenes in the film, Ann receives a visit from her closest friend, Lila Wittenborn. On her deathbed Ann shares with Lila her regrets about not keeping Harris. She tells her it was a mistake. Lila responds with her philisophy, something to the effect of that, in life there is no such thing as a mistake, one does what one can. Ann responds to Lila saying straight away, ‘I still think one of us should have married Harris’!

‘Evening’ also looks at some of the choices made by some of the other characters and raises some questions. Why is Lila’s brother Buddy so obsessed with Ann and can’t move on? Why doesn’t Harris take the plunge with Ann? Why can’t Nina settle down and commit or will the fact that she is pregnant finally get her to settle down?!

Lajos Koltai directed ‘Evening’ with clarity and style. Gyula Pados’s cinematography was superb, and Jan Kaczmarek and Piotr Tatarski’s orchestral score worked well with the narrative.

Koltai had a great cast to bring Susan Minot and Michael Cunningham’s script to life. Because of the two time periods, some of the roles were doubled up, with the lovely Claire Danes playing the younger Ann. Ann’s close friend Lila was played by Merryl Streep as the older Lila with Streep’s own real real life daughter Marnie Gummer playing the younger Lila. Natasha Richardson, who in real life is Vanessa Redgrave’s daughter, played one of Ann’s grown up daughters, Constance whilst our own Toni Colette played Ann’s other daughter, Nina. Hugh Dancy, as Buddy Wittenborn, Lila’s very sensitive brother, gave one of the strongest performances in the film.

My verdict! Lajos Koltai’s ‘Evening’ was an engaging, poignant and artfully crafted film.