That Evening Sun (2009)

That Evening Sun: Directed by Scott Teems. With Hal Holbrook, Barlow Jacobs, Mia Wasikowska, Carrie Preston. An aging Tennessee farmer returns to his homestead and must confront a family betrayal, the reappearance of an old enemy, and the loss of his farm.

“Abner Meecham,who has been living in a nursing home,is unhappy u0026amp; wants to live out his final days on the farm land where he had made his living for over 50 years. One day,he packs his things u0026amp; just walks away from it all. Despite a first failure (where he is picked up by the police u0026amp; returned back to the home),Abner,undaunted tries again,this time getting further,with the help of a taxi cab driver,to his old farm land. Problem is,the land u0026amp; the house are now leased by Lonzo Choat,who Abner doesnu0026#39;t like,one bit. Abner takes up in the workers quarters,just off the main house,much to the chagrin of Lonzo, who wants Abner off of his property,a.s.a.p. The following makes for a tense tale,that you know is going to end up badly. Scott Teem (u0026#39;A Death In The Woodsu0026#39;,u0026#39;Rootsu0026#39;) directs u0026amp; writes the screenplay,adapted from the novel, u0026#39;I Hate To See The Evening Sun Go Downu0026#39;,by William Gay (the title of which is taken from a line in an old country blues song by Jimmy Rogers). This is a quiet little independent film that in the wrong hands would have turned out to be just another Southern exploitation film (like the kind of films produced by Harry Novak that used to play drive inu0026#39;s back in the 1970u0026#39;s that stereotyped all of the citizens of the South as back woods,slack jawed,inbred,boozing,village idiots that would have sex with farm animals,or family members,or all of the above),but rises above that. The great Hal Holbrook (forever known for his portrayal of Mark Twain on stage u0026amp; screen)plays Abner,a man who just wants what is rightly his. Ray McKinnon is Lonzo,a man who is just dripping with contempt for Abner. The rest of the cast (unknown by yours truly)turn in shining roles on screen. This is a quiet,little u0026quot;indieu0026quot; that drew acclaim at the festivals,but probably wonu0026#39;t get much in the way of main steam distribution (I got to see it at one of our cinemas that specializes in foreign u0026amp; art films),but deserves better. Rated PG-13 by the MPAA,it contains some raunchy language,an unpleasant scene of domestic abuse u0026amp; some minor adult content.”