In the Gloaming

My first observation was the beauty of the landscape. The New England area must be one of the most beautiful places on earth, especially in autumn when the leaves turn gold and red. The writers use this fact to their advantage when they set their story in such heavenly surroundings.

Then when I heard the music (piano only) I said to myself this is going to be a sad film, or may be overly sentimental.

As the story progressed, I sensed that here was a family whose members lived independent lives until the son comes home to die of AIDS. In this new situation the family is scarcely able to cope and they employ a nurse (Whoopi Goldberg) as a carer. There is a moving scene where the nurse virtually teaches the mother (Glenn Close) how to express her love towards her sleeping son. "Touch him" she says.

There are many scenes between the mother and son when thoughts about their respective lives are exchanged. It is as if they are getting to know each other for the first time. The dialogue in the film is mainly between mother and son. All the other characters while still important have much less to say.

The film has a gentle quality about it. All the characters repress their thoughts and feelings apart from an occasional outburst of frustration that tends to liven up the sad circumstances. We have seen films about dying AIDS victims before so there is nothing new here, except for the beauty of the setting. All those trees aflame in the sunset and an empty garden seat definitely accent the sadness suffered by the family.

This is a film appropriately named. Many of the exterior shots take place in the gloaming, that lovely space between sunset and the stars coming out. The colours are extraordinary - New England has never looked more lovely drenched in the colours of the seasons in which the film takes place, with a gorgeous windowed house overlooking it all.

This is a story about a family and the shifting of its dynamics when the son comes home to die of AIDS. Whoopi Goldberg (a very small part) is employed as a nurse and the mother (Glenn Close)attempts an exploration of getting to know her son. This is basically the plot.

David Strathearn in a role made for him, plays the father, a man unreconciled to his son's sexual orientation but still very much in love with his wife, a fact which escapes her until her son points it out.

There is an absolutely riveting scene of the mother singing his baby song to her son that had me in tears. It wasn't over sentimentalized in any way, the father overlooking the scene adds to the feeling of his distance from his wife and son. Beautifully done. If I had any fault, it was with the ending. A little too pat.

I would see this again. Glenn Close was never lovelier. 7 out of 10.

Such a quiet and gentle film. All the action revolves around this family's domestic routines; meals served in the backyard overlooking the pond, wheelchair promenades down beautiful country roads and intimate conversations between mother and son basking in the gloaming (the last hour of daylight). It is during these moments that Close and Leonard absolutely shine. This is very much a story about a boy and his mom. All other relationships are secondary until the end of the film. Family relationships can be complicated, especially when one is dying. The stoic and reserved nature of the characters response to the gay son's health crisis is compelling.

A nice turn by Whoopi Goldberg as the live-in nurse who re-teaches the mother to physically care for and interact with her adult son.Pay special attention to the death scene (and I'm not really giving anything away here) and notice the characters breathing. It is a wonderful symbolic representation of one life ending and another being "reborn".

I watched this movie not too long ago, simply because I am a big fan of Glenn Close. However, I was throughly surprised at the depth of sadness portrayed in the film, and the closeness between Janet and her son Danny. I was touched when Janet sung "Oh Danny Boy", I thought it was a very good addition to the film. This movie brings up very important topics: death, and love for your family no matter what. I would definately recommend a person to watch this.

I rented "In The Gloaming" mainly because I am an avid fan of the brilliant young actor Robert Sean Leonard. However, I was happily surprised to see a film that not only highlights Mr. Leonard's acting talents at their finest, but also a film that was a touching and brutally real look at an imperfect family and their struggles to cope with having to be around one another while crisis and tragedy tear their family apart. I believe this film is a must-see for anyone who has ever been a part of a family that has been tormented by the demons of its members.