Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageWhen Night Is Falling (1995)
Director: Patricia Rozema
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Grief takes Protestant academic Camille to the laundrette, where circus performer Petra supplies tissues, sympathy and a sly switcheroo on the holdalls containing their respective smalls. The meeting-cute hurdle negotiated, the story proceeds to run a relatively fresh spin on ye old eternal threesome. The man in Camille's life is Martin, fellow lecturer at the College of New Faith, but how can the call of duty compete with this new woman winkling out the new woman in her. After all, tweed jackets and keynote speeches can't compete with tight black leather, arrows of desire fired through your window, and an epochal hang-gliding trip. No, it's not much of a contest, but Rozema provides ample pleasures to compensate for the lack of surprise, not the least of which is a warm sensuality that never feels exploitative, plus the good heart to make Czerny's boyfriend a decent stick and even to have the stern college principal question his own homophobia. While the surrounding Sirkus of Sorts frippery is endearing without being pushy, and Lesley Barber's terrific score provides emotional thrust, the key to the film's mercurial charm is the performances of the two leads: Bussières ranging engagingly from prim to perky, and Crawford a bewitching presence as the impish seductress. Cynics may demur, but the result is quite delicious.Author: TJ
Cast & crew
Director: Patricia Rozema
Producer: Barbara Tranter
Cast: Pascale Bussières, Rachael Crawford, Henry Czerny, David Fox, Don McKellar, Tracy Wright, Clare Coulter full cast
Duration: 94 mins
Top Stories
Ridley Scott interview
Director Ridley Scott tells Cath Clarke why he's making a science fiction comeback
Cannes Film Festival 2012: half-time report
Dave Calhoun reports on the hits, misses and a shocking new masterpiece from Michael Haneke
What do you think?
Post your review now