Starting Out in the Evening
An aging, sickly author, Leonard Schiller, is writing his last novel. He hasn't published a new book in years, even though his first four novels were well regarded in their time.A young, attractive grad student named Heather is writing her graduate thesis on him. She convinces him to take precious time away from his writing (which takes a few meetings of persuasion) to let her interview him. Heather is inspired by his writing and clearly takes a romantic interest in him.In addition, Leonard's daughter is grappling with starting a family without a husband while she falls in love again with a former boyfriend who does not want to have children.After Leonard warms to Heather over interviews about his writing, she becomes more flirtatious with him, even inviting him to lie down with her in his bed. She nods off to sleep, but the next morning they clearly have an unexpected comfort with each other.Heather hears from an editor that Leonard has not been entirely honest about the demise of his marriage, so she confronts him further about his personal life. He becomes upset about her discontent, but invites her to spend the night, and they share a passionate kiss.Thereafter, when Heather presents her first draft of the thesis to Leonard, he gives her the key to his apartment and invites her to visit whenever she likes. Suddenly she cools to his affections, which is more evident after she recoils when he kisses her.Leonard reads the thesis and gives her a thorough critique, which she appreciates despite the fact that he disagrees with much of what she has written. Soon thereafter, Leonard suffers a stroke, and Heather helps him to the hospital.After a month of recovery, Leonard seems happy to have Heather visit him again, yet when he reaches to touch her face he suddenly slaps her. Heather is overcome with emotion, seeming to know that she has done something wrong but does not deserve his condemnation.Leonard's daughter agrees to let her boyfriend help him to a doctor's visit, and on the walk back Leonard becomes sick but the boyfriend helps him through his pain very kindly. Later, in apparent gratitude and resolve, Leonard gives the manuscript of his new novel to the boyfriend, leaving the fate of the book in his hands.The film closes on a quiet evening with Leonard preparing for bed. He walks away from his toast and tea though, and sits down at his typewriter with a blank page in it. After long contemplation, he starts out to write again.
romantic