REVIEW
August Evening – A Gem In Need of Polishing

With a too-long script, moments of sheer beauty followed promptly by dragging boredom and a cast full of relatively inexperienced/non-actors, the independently produced and directed August Evening could have easily been destined for disaster. But in this first feature film from newly minted UCLA alum Chris Eska, this (overly) ambitious writer, director and editor manages to scale the bumps, snags and trip-ups the entertainment industry has long come to expect from first time filmmakers and paints a portrait of the human condition that is so honest and real it hurts.

The best and most famous philosophers have pondered whether art reflects reality or reality reflects art. And while some would question the very idea that film is indeed art, much less care whether it reflects reality or visa versa, August Evening charges straight into the realm of art and forges on into a reality that is neither self-importantly puffed up nor overwrought with imagined drama, fake excitement or outlandish adventure that ultimately has no place in our daily lives. As Eska himself so beautifully puts it, the film seeks to “express emotions that are frequently absent from films today but are ubiquitous in our real lives.”

Though absent from most big studio productions, the honest contemplation of the layers of our human condition is ironically something that Hollywood craves. After premiering at the 2007 LA Film Festival, Eska’s feature film debut not only snagged the coveted Target Narrative Filmmaker Award but has since been picked up by Maya Entertainment for an as yet to be determined release schedule. It would seem that the insatiable Hollywood can indeed recognize the means to satisfaction and gratification in spite of itself.

Shot in Spanish, the story of August Evening is remarkably and refreshingly simple. Jamie (Pedro Castaneda) is an undocumented farm worker who lives not in comfort but at ease with his wife and daughter-in-law Lupe (Veronica Loren) in the vast country landscapes of Texas. After suddenly losing both wife and job in quick succession, Jamie is failing to make ends meet and finds that he and Lupe have no other choice but to humbly ask his biological children for their help and support.

First moving in with Jamie’s son Victor (Abel Becerra) and then later with his daughter Alice (Sandra Rios), the duo knows instinctively, and through not so subtle hints, that they are neither wanted nor do they belong in either local. Despite a connection with local butcher Luis (Walter Perez), Lupe lands both house and job, moving the now ailing Jamie back to the country. However as a subtly blossoming love refuses to simply go away, Lupe must decide whether she will begin a new life with Luis or remain steadfast in her care and devotion to Jamie.

At first glance it would seem that these two options are not and do not need to be mutually exclusive. And if this was indeed the case, the turning point, the fearful tension, the crisis moment upon which the entire film rests, would be null and void. All the worry and concern would be ultimately unnecessary, lending an irrelevant feel to both story and film. But upon further reflection, it is clear that Lupe must make a choice . . . for the reality Eska has so clearly pursued wouldn’t have it any other way.

Overflowing with the beautiful handiwork of cinematographer Yasu Tanida throughout, August Evening‘s best scenes come from Lupe and Luis’s impromptu visit to the county fair. Warm and encircling colors, impressive shots of glorious fireworks and intimate voiceover make the pair’s blossoming romance all the more sweet. Both cinematography and editing are complimented by a phenomenally big, blossoming and grand score that not only fills up the vast Texas landscape but mirrors the depth of character and emotional fervor seen in both Lupe and Jamie.

Understated and quiet, the performances were good though not great. Veronica Loren brought a soft and natural presence to Lupe but fell a bit too far on the side of subtly in the displaying of her affection for Luis. I believed she was falling in love with Luis mostly because I was falling in love with Luis. Pedro Castaneda was sensitive and genuine but his inexperience was unfortunately evident when on the multiple occasions that it fell to him to carry a scene, the moment fell undeniably flat.

However, while August Evening would have benefited from tighter editing, a healthy trimming of the script and a few shifts in performance, there is no doubt in the talent and skill displayed by writer, director and editor Chris Eska. He, much like his film, is in need of some simple refinement before he can fully and completely shine.