halfway through lajos koltai evening and a woman on her deathbed ask a figure appear in her hallucination represent can you tell me where my life go . the line could be embarrassingly theatrical and but the woman speak it be vanessa redgrave and deliver it with utter simplicity and and the question tear your heart out . time and again and the film base on susan minot novel skirt sentimentality and ordinariness and it hold attention and offer admirable performance and and engenders emotional involvement a few recent movie have . with only six month of the year go and there be now two memorable and meaningful and worthwhile film in theater and the other and of course and be sara polley away from her . hollywood might have turn even into a slick celebrity vehicle with it two pair of real life mother and daughter vanessa redgrave and natasha richardson and and meryl streep and mamie gummer . richardson be redgrave daughter in the film ( with a sister play by tony collette ) and and gummer play streep young self and while redgrave youthful incarnation be claire dane . add glenn close and eileen atkins and hugh dancy and patrick wilson and and a large cast yes and it could have turn into a multiple star platform . instead and koltai the brilliant hungarian cinematographer of mephisto and and director of fateless create a subtle ensemble work with a continental feel and the story take place in a high society newport environment and in the day lead up to a wedding that be fraught with trouble . miss connection and wrong choice and and dutiful compliance with social and family pressure present quite a soap opera and but the quality of the writing and koltai direction and and selfless act raise even way above that level and into the the rarified air of english and french ( and a few american ) family saga from a century before it contemporary setting . complex relationship between mother and daughter and between friend and lover and with the addition of a difficult triangle all come across clearly and understandably and captivatingly . individual tune be weave into a symphony . and yet and with the all the forego emphasis on ensemble and selfless performance and the star of even still shine through and redgrave and richardson and gummer ( an excite new discovery and look vaguely like her mother and but a very different actress ) and dane carry most of the load until streep show up in the final moment and and of course and steal the show . dancy and wilson be well worth the price of admission too . a with away from her and even stay with you at length and invite a re think it story and character and and re experience the emotion it raise . at two hour and the film run a bit long and but the way it stay with you thereafter be welcome among the many movie that go cold long before your popcorn .