The Return of Jezebel James

I’ve been waiting for this independent film, starring Lauren Ambrose, Frank Langella, and Lili Taylor, about a grad student who reinvigorates the hopes and dreams of an old novelist.

The movie premiered at January’s Sundance Film Festival, where critics liked it. It’s based on the 1999 novel by Brian Morton, the story of a New York novelist, Leonard Schiller (Frank Langella). His books were once acclaimed, but now are out of print. He is close to his daughter Ariel (Lili Taylor), but otherwise keeps to himself in a structured, joyless existence… until grad student Heather Wolfe (Lauren Ambrose) decides to write her Master’s thesis on him and his work. In the process, she grows close to him, challenging him to accept that he’s “using his age to mask a deeper conflict.” Then she starts trudging through his life’s scars, including that of his long-deceased wife.

The film is coming to theaters—finally!—starting Friday, November 23.

Here’s the official trailer:

And an interview with co-star Lili Taylor and director Andrew Wagner about the film, courtesy the Sundance Channel:

Click here for a list of reviews of Starting Out in the Evening.

And click here for a NY Daily News piece on the movie release.

-TimK