criticism of the film evening and base on the novel by susan minot and adapt for the screen by minot and michael cunningham and have be harsh and so harsh that it may have discourage many viewer from give the film a try . the primary criticism have center on the fact that very little happens in this film about a die woman fretting over a mistake she make one summer in her youth and that famous actor be give very minor role and that the entire production be over hyped and etc . for this viewer and see the film on a dvd in the quiet of the home and a very different reaction occur . ann grant lord ( vanessa redgrave ) be die in her home by the ocean and her medication and memory allow her to share a man name harris with her two grown daughter nina ( toni colette ) and constance ( natasha richardson ) . a her daughter sit at her bedside ann relive a particular summer when she be a bridesmaid for her best friend lila ( mamie gummer ) a marriage both ann ( claire dane a the youthful ann ) and lila alcoholic brother buddy ( hugh dancy ) object to and feel that lila be simply marry a man of her class instead of the boy she have love harris arden ( patrick wilson ) and her housekeeper son who have become a physician . harris and buddy and lila and and ann be weave together in a series of infatuation and romance that have be keep secret until now and 50 year later and a ann be die . the old lila ( meryl streep ) visit ann at the end and the secret be reveal represent there be no such thing a mistake life just go on . the film be a delicate mood piece and the script by minot and cunningham be rich in atmosphere and subtle life lesson . yes and there be gap in the story that could have use more explanation and but in order to maintain the aura of nostalgia of a die lady word and such hole be understandable . the film be grace by the presence of not only redgrave and richardson ( redgrave true daughter ) and collette and gummer ( streep true daughter ) and meryl streep and claire dane and eileen atkins and glenn close and hugh dancy and patrick wilson and but also with an ensemble cast of brief but very solid performance . the setting be gorgeous ( cinematography by gyula pados ) and the musical score be by the inimitable jan a. p. kaczmarek . lajos koltai ( be julia ) direct . judge this film on your own . grady harp .