Aurora Greenway is one of those colorful, larger-than-life characters who exist only in Southern novels, particularly those by Larry McMurtry ("The Last Picture Show"). In "Terms of Endearment," coincidentally based on a novel by McMurtry, Aurora (Shirley MacLaine) arose as a tender, full-blooded, fiercely emotional creature. In the excruciating "The Evening Star," she is depicted as a bloodless caricature, as if she drifted in from the latest soap opera series.
"Terms of Endearment" is one of the great movies of the 1980's - it is captivating, unsentimental, brilliantly acted, and superbly directed by James L. Brooks. The heart of that film was Aurora's troubling yet loving relationship with her daughter Emma (Debra Winger). The trials and tribulations they endure evoked a nice balance between humor and heartbreak. For example, Aurora dates a swinging, hard-drinking bachelor and astronaut (Jack Nicholson), and a tender love affair begins and ends abruptly between them. Emma marries Flap (Jeff Daniels, who's been typecast ever since), a professor who teaches English and has affairs with co-eds. In retaliation, Emma has an affair with a banker (John Lithgow), and so on.
"Terms of Endearment" has a wonderful ensemble of actors at their best, and honest, vibrant writing. The beauty of the film is Brooks's careful balance between comedy, seriousness and tragedy. "Terms" also never steps into caricature or droll exaggeration resulting in a film that transcends its soap opera origins.
"The Evening Star" is at the opposite end of the pole. It is grossly exaggerated, wildly uneven, contains numerous caricatures not characters, and takes an eternity to end. This time, the eccentric Aurora (Shirley McClaine, again) has Emma's sexy teenage daughter (Juliette Lewis) to contend with, a grandchild in prison, and Emma's rich, snobbish friend (Miranda Richardson) who is trying to buy Aurora's granddaughter's love. In addition, there's Aurora's loving, loyal maid (Marion Ross) who seems more like an intrusion in her life than anything else. Oh, and there's the local psychiatrist (Bill Paxton) who has a brief, unbelievable fling with Aurora.
"The Evening Star" suffers greatly in every department when compared to "Terms." For one, the casting is actually awful. MacLaine overacts to the hilt of all hilts - she's actually annoying and boring to watch. Juliette Lewis does better with her role as a troubled teenager, but it is something she can play in her sleep. Marion Ross and the late Ben Johnson, in his last role, seem to be sleepwalking throughout.
The one actress who is wrongfully cast, and an indication of what's wrong with some sequels, is Miranda Richardson as the snobbish friend of the late Emma - she spews seemingly delectable witticisms with a crooked drawl that brings out the worst in Southern stereotypes and accents. Interestingly, her character was played by Lisa Hart Carroll in "Terms" with complete restraint - a far cry from Richardson's manic fits. Where's the dignity of Southerner Billy Bob Thornton when you really need him?
"Terms" was a real human drama and completely unpredictable and truthful from beginning to end. "Evening Star" is utterly formulaic nonsense done with none of the vigor or honesty of the original (and with a high mortality rate to boot). The film is so desperate that it even brings back Jack Nicholson for an unnecessary, heavy-handed cameo. Where's Jim Brooks when you really need him?
For more reviews, check out JERRY AT THE MOVIES at http://buffs.moviething.com/buffs/faust/
E-mail me with any questions, comments or general complaints at faustus_08520@yahoo.com or at Faust667@aol.com
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