Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.

Some people found writer-director Andrew Wagner's first feature, THE TALENT GIVEN US, one of the most obnoxious films ever made. I was one of those people, which does not mean I didn't find the film a compelling work; it just drove me slightly crazy. Dialing things down a notch, Wagner has constructed a poetic and somber piece about an elderly writer named Leonard Schiller (the glorious Frank Langella), who long ago wrote a masterpiece of a novel and followed that up with lesser works and eventually writer's block. He regularly attends cocktail parties and other social events where he and other New York intellectuals discuss the arts in general, and writing specifically. Leonard has a daughter (Lili Taylor) who loves him but throws herself at a man (Adrian Lester) who has no interest in commitment. When they broke up years earlier, it almost drove her insane. But most of the time, Leonard goes through his daily routine, attempting to write what he believes may be his comeback novel.

Enter Amber (Lauren Ambrose), a student attempting to write her Master's thesis on Schiller's work and life. She's willing to write the dissertation on her own, but she approaches Leonard in the hopes of doing a series of interviews with him. Since it seems unlikely that any critical analysis of his work will ever be written by a professional, Leonard sees this as his last shot at some form of immortality and agrees. Amber is pretty, smart and wants nothing more than to talk about him for hours on end, so why wouldn't Leonard feel incredibly flattered and fall a bit in love? And make no mistake: Amber is equally enamored with Leonard both as a writer and an emotional being. She views their relationship as a means to uncover what happened in his life to make his work suffer and seem less truthful, while he simply likes the idea of this young intellect being so interested in him.

Langella is a god here, and he transforms Leonard into equal parts proud and pathetic. There is nothing inherently noble about Leonard's feelings for this college student, but Langella infuses the character with a fragile kind of dignity that seems so believable that you never question the would-be love affair. Ambose plays Amber with just the perfect overly ambitious quality; she's not quite a stalker but, given slightly different circumstances, the capacity is there. She's a user, and I think she's always aware that her thesis will crucify Leonard's later work to a degree, especially when she uncovers his life's greatest regret and the turning point in his artistic output. STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING is that rare creation about those with high IQs, even as it reveals that they are just as capable as the rest of us of doing dumb and thoughtless things. More importantly, it's such a rare and meaningful treat to watch these fine actors do their collective thing without distractions or compromise. I didn't see that much this year, but you shouldn't miss a shot at watching it happen.

Capone