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The Evening Star

PG-13 1996 2h 8m Drama List
20% Tomatometer 35 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
A spunky woman (Shirley MacLaine) copes with her troubled adult grandchildren, feuds with an enemy and has a fling with a younger man (Bill Paxton).
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The Evening Star

The Evening Star

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Critics Consensus

Even taken on its own terms, there's nothing terribly endearing about this belated sequel.

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Critics Reviews

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Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly Any crying in response to this unexceptional sequel occurs strictly on a one-tear-at-a-time basis. Rated: C+ Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Tom Charity Time Out This adaptation of Larry McMurtry's novel irons out depth without tightening up a baggy shapeless narrative. Jan 26, 2006 Full Review Janet Maslin New York Times Ms. MacLaine cuts a tart, indefatigable figure who seems much tougher and more likable than anything she's given to say. May 20, 2003 Full Review Malcolm Johnson Hartford Courant Almost plotlessly, like a slackly paced television soap, Star runs on and on, trying to twinkle. May 29, 2018 Full Review Betsy Bozdech DVDJournal.com The Evening Star's main shortcoming is that it lacks Terms' firm center; there's no one mainstay relationship ... at the heart of the sequel, and it suffers. Rated: 2.5/4 Oct 21, 2006 Full Review Chuck O'Leary Fantastica Daily Rated: 4/5 Oct 6, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (119) audience reviews
Jeff M This movie is an absolute textbook example of a sequel being inferior to its predecessor in literally every way possible. 1983's TERMS OF ENDEARMENT was a culture phenomenon that swept the Oscars. While I feel it was a tad bit overrated, it's still a beautiful showcase of blending comedy and drama featuring magnificent performances (especially Debra Winger) and memorable characters. This sequel feels like the sitcom from hell, with broad characterizations, comic scenarios that feel like a laugh track is missing, and maudlin moments of supposed drama that induce eye rolls rather than tears. In a movie full of unforgivable performances, the bottom of the barrel belongs to Juliette Lewis as granddaughter Melanie. When Lewis is on fire like in CAPE FEAR and HUSBANDS & WIVES, she is electrifyingly original - here she drowns under the mediocrity. Writer/director Harling is the man who created STEEL MAGNOLIAS, another movie that suffers under the lead balloon of cliche and manipulation, though not nearly bad as this one. Even a last minute reunion of MacLaine and Jack Nicholson toward the end doesn't work. Marion Ross (Mrs. Cunningham from HAPPY DAYS) has a couple nice moments as Aurora's long time housekeeper, but that's about it. If nothing else, this will surely make you appreciate the original TERMS OF ENDEARMENT a heckuva lot more. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/08/24 Full Review steve d The cast does a good job, but there wasn't much story left to tell. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Pointless and meandering. The melodrama of Terms but Shirley McClaine has no worthy foil to bring spark and bite to the screen as she did with Debra Winger. In 2019, not worth the time to revisit aside from seeing the all star cast who all went on to bigger and better projects. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 12/01/19 Full Review Audience Member Shirley MacLaine should have won another Oscar for this sequel also! I have no idea why it didn't make even the budget at the Box Office. It was a Christmas movie of 1996. It had to have been bad timing. This gem of a film is so tucked away that I never knew it existed until Netflix came along! Now I bought the DVD and buy the merchandise of the movie on Ebay. This script and the actors are perfection! This is my favorite movie. I don't watch Terms of Endearment like I watch this one. Such a GREAT movie! BRAVO! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review william s An afterthought sequel. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member I have neglected my life. Aurora Greenway has gotten much older since we saw her in Terms of Endearment and she has sense raised her daughter's kids and they are now getting to the age of moving out. She deals with an internal divide to ensure her grandchildren's safety and happiness versus living to be happy herself. "You can love them but you can't live their life." Robert Harling, writer of the screen plays for Steel Magnolias, Soapdish, The First Wives Club, and Laws of Attraction, delivers The Evening Star in his directorial debut. The storyline for this film was very well written and contains great dialogue and fantastic character development. The acting was also first rate as the cast includes Shirley MacLaine, Bill Paxton, Juliette Lewis, Jack Nicholson, Scott Wolf, Ben Johnson, and Miranda Richardson. "You didn't come here just to talk." I came across this film while reviewing Jack Nicholson films on Netflix. This was a very well done sequel to Terms of Endearment. Shirley MacLain reprises her role perfectly and provides a solid conclusion to the Aurora Greenway character. I strongly recommend the original and this pictures. "You're so fucking fired." Grade: B Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Evening Star

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Cast & Crew

The Evening Star

The Evening Star: Official Clip - Lola Meet Aurora The Evening Star: Official Clip - Lola Meet Aurora 1:53 The Evening Star: Official Clip - A Call to Granny The Evening Star: Official Clip - A Call to Granny 2:13 The Evening Star: Official Clip - Once Upon a Time We Were a Family The Evening Star: Official Clip - Once Upon a Time We Were a Family 2:07 The Evening Star: Official Clip - It's Important to Have Enemies The Evening Star: Official Clip - It's Important to Have Enemies 2:13 The Evening Star: Official Clip - Do You Want to Sleep With Me? The Evening Star: Official Clip - Do You Want to Sleep With Me? 2:10 The Evening Star: Official Clip - Tommy Takes the Brownies The Evening Star: Official Clip - Tommy Takes the Brownies 2:12 The Evening Star: Official Clip - I Was Loved The Evening Star: Official Clip - I Was Loved 2:10 The Evening Star: Official Clip - Make A Wish The Evening Star: Official Clip - Make A Wish 2:13 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis A spunky woman (Shirley MacLaine) copes with her troubled adult grandchildren, feuds with an enemy and has a fling with a younger man (Bill Paxton).
Director
Robert Harling
Producer
David Paul Kirkpatrick, Polly Platt, Keith Samples
Screenwriter
Robert Harling
Production Co
Rysher Entertainment
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$12.7M
Runtime
2h 8m
Sound Mix
Surround
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