The Evening Star (1996)

Really Surprised!

Absolutely the worst movie.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

I was kind of disappointed. I was expected the same from the sequel with the role of Aurora Greenway played by Academy Award Winner Shirley Maclaine again. Of course, Jack Nicholson won his second Oscar for his role as her lover. In this film, Aurora deals with troubled grandchildren who she helped raise because the father was absentee. One grandson is in prison and her granddaughter is as stubborn as her daughter Emma played by Debra Winger was. Also Miranda Richardson plays a Texan friend that wanted to raise Emma. Also Marion Ross is cast in the role as Rosie Dunlop, Aurora's maid or housekeeper. There were some changes like ROsie lived at the house but Marion Ross earned a Golden Globe nomination and probably would have earned her Academy Award nomination if the film got better reviews. Marion does an excellent job in making us care so much for Rosie.

Terms of Endearement is one my my favorite movies. Evening Star was entertaining, but not as good. (Some of the situations seemed contrived) But....The scene at the end when Aurora is surrounded by her family during her last moments was very touching to me. My grown daughter was watching the movie with me and I eased into the kitchen to weep, and I, slightly embarrassed, told her I was having a "mommie moment." I saw this film on TV not too long after my own mother died. She would have loved to have gone that way,peacefully, at home, with her family around her. Me too, for that matter.

This movie had two major problems to contend with: being a sequel and being an adaptation, and the two problems were very related. First of all, "Terms of Endearment" the novel and "Terms of Endearment" the movie have huge differences. (Garrett Breedlove isn't even in the book and Rosie was married with several children.) What I think is great about "The Evening Star" is that it tries to hold true to the book and the first movie. Perhaps most importantly, it shows how important Hector and Rosie were in Aurora's life. As a fan of both the books and the first movie, I was happy to see how well this movie brought them all together. It's one of my favorites.

Synopsis: The continuing adventures of Aurora Greenway and her tumultous family life, are further explored in this sequel to the 1983 classic. With her three grandchildren fully grown, they all have their own personal problems to face alongside Aurora.The Review: Just not meant to happen. Contrived is what comes to mind when viewing this sequel with Bill Paxton, Scott Wolf, and Jack Nicholson among the famous actors making walk on appearances. Overlong and underwritten, the film misses the interest of the original, not to mention any inkling of James L. Brooks' involvement. There's no Danny DeVito, and no Jeff Daniels (which is very odd considering he was the father of the three but is omitted from the film). Nowhere near as good as the first.Grade: C-