Notebook Reviews: TWILIGHT

Robert Benton – 1998.

Twilight is an excellent modern day film noir with a hugely impressive cast. The great Paul Newman leads the way but Robert Benton‘s film also stars the mighty James Garner, Gene Hackman, Susan Sarandon, Reese Witherspoon and Stockard Channing. Newman is great as the sardonic private detective and it shows that true movie stars never loose their lustre. 

Twilight is a relaxed and laid-back affair, filled with plenty of deadpan humour and strong characterisation. It’s got a wonderful sense of tone and the viewer can really get absorbed into the atmosphere that Benton has created. It might be following genres tropes, but there’s an air of originality to proceedings. As the talent implies – this is a classy movie. 

Criminally ignored when it was released (it grossed just $15 million in the US), Twilight comes highly recommended.