Étoile du soir

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.

I actually saw this movie well before I ever viewed "Terms of Endearment", a movie slightly before my time. I am so glad that I did! Although I was considerably lost during some of the plot line, especially concerning the personal histories of the characters, I am certain I would not have enjoyed it nearly as well if I had viewed "Terms of Endearment" prior. For anyone that has seen the other film and subsequently enjoyed it, I am sure that the sequel doesn't even begin to live up to their expectations. That's not to say that it isn't a movie without merit. There is quite a bit of subtle (as well as not-so-subtle) humor to be found in this movie, and since it is slightly more up-to-date, newer generations might even appreciate it more (GASP!) than the original. It does have a completely different feel to it than its predecessor, though. If "The Evening Star" accomplished nothing else, it peaked my curiosity enough for me to view the first movie, one that I have since fell in love with. "Terms of Endearment" being a film which, although hearing good things about throughout the years, I probably would have never even given a chance if not for stumbling across it's sequel.

If you read my comments about "Terms of Endearment" (1983), you will notice I said it was a film I avoided for a while, then finally got around to seeing. In fact, I only heard about the sequel, "The Evening Star" shortly after I saw "Terms." In fact, "Star" came on TV shortly after I learned about it and I decided to give it a watch, even though I was probably going to be bored and disappointed. To my surprise, it was quite the opposite. It may start off on a boring start, but soon you will find yourself very involved with the characters and the multi-story plot, just like "Terms." Shirley MacLaine handled herself pretty well in this, maybe even more so than "Terms," but Miranda Richardson and Juliette Lewis seem out of place and they overact sometimes. Jack Nicholson's cameo was quite appropriate within the plot and he does a great job. Like the first film, the ending is memorable and falls in the "tear-jerking" category.

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-

Now when this movie first came out, no one really saw it. Critics gave it bad reviews. Part of the issue was the original Terms of Endearment was made back in 1983. So when some of the cast came back 13 years later, it can lose some of its box office draw. However, the time that passed actually made this movie more believable as the characters had also aged. Shirley MacLaine reprises her role and does a nice job, trying to raise her dead daughter's children. The movie stays grounded by dealing with everyday issues as well as getting older and the trials of a non-traditional family. Paxton plays a nice role in this film adding a little flare to the shadowing plot of Shirley MacLaine's character getting older. Nicholson's return, although brief, helped this film round itself out. See this one only if you see Terms of Endearment first.

Best Scene: Nicholson and MacLaine re-living the past on the beach.