Kings of the Evening (2008) User Reviews

Wasted Potential

[eeleyebrown · 5/10 · 31 May 2011]

As another reviewer mentioned, Kings of the Evening doesn't really live up to it's hype. We're given a host of characters with rich potential but their stories never seem to move in any forward direction. Subplots are introduced then suddenly muted like a big tease.

The title refers to a weekly contest during The Great Depression that allows the menfolk of the town an opportunity to show that, despite the hard times they're living in, they can still dress sharp and still walk tall with dignity. However, this exhibition is the least substantive of the movie and it only serves as a teasing vehicle for fans of Tyson Beckford whose real claim to fame is as a fashion model and not an actor (ironically, he only features in the actual contest for a mere 7 seconds at the end of the movie). His lukewarm performance here only reinforces that reputation. He's mostly dead wood here. (He looks very out of place on the chain gang in the introduction).

The other performances try to shine to make the story stronger than it is. Lynne Whitfield as always is beautiful and passionate as ever in her role as the house landlady. Linara Washington, as Lucy, is pretty face I'm not familiar with since I don't watch a lot of TV where she's better known, but she gives a fine performance as one of the borders of the house. Reginald Dorsey outshines most of the cast as the fast-talking and dapper hustler and border Benny. I wish he had at least gotten more of a backstory or his own subplot. James Russo and Bruce McGill are their typical evil and venomous selves. But it's veteran actor Glynn Turman who eats up the movie. He shows almost everything here. His down-trodden and drunken Clarence is the greatest example of how many men of all persuasions felt during the era, unable to find work, hiding behind the bottle and ready to end it all to escape the weight of shame of not being able to pay your own way as a man.

Despite the negatives, the movie still manages to put elicit a few smiles between some decent performances and friendly gestures of kindness. There's also surprisingly little racism or racial animosity during a time when poverty had thrown all races and nationalities into the same financial binds. Accurate or not, it was good black movie that wasn't totally marred by the conflict of racial differences and allowed the viewer to be entertained.

Disappointing in so many ways

[humanoid · 4/10 · 10 September 2008]

I saw KINGS at a special showing for local cast and crew, in association with the Austin International Film Festival, so I enjoyed the extra benefit of a Q&A afterward with the director and his father, with whom he had co-written the script, and some of the main actors. The audience, which was about one-third African-American, was enthusiastic about what they'd just seen. One or two commenters specifically appreciated such a positive portrayal of the Black experience, and several remarks suggested that the whole production was divinely ordained. Would that it were so.

I had first sensed that the results might be underwhelming when the opening credits ended by announcing that the story was "inspired by actual events"— a claim so thin as to be hardly worth making. And then I began spotting anachronisms. Although the setting is the Depression, several of the male actors had visible ear piercings, and in an early scene, a blue-collar white man is sporting a very modern hipster goatee. The protagonist, who has just come off a two-year stretch with little more than the prison-issued suit on his broad back, has a wasp-waisted muscularity that could only come from hours spent every day with a personal trainer. And his sternly responsible landlady makes a habit of walking around in a red nightgown that, in those days, would have been taken by whoever saw her as a sure sign that she made her living from prostitution.

Of course, anyone who's trying to portray a time or place with which they're not intimately familiar is going to be hard-pressed to avoid such gaffes. I was much more disturbed by the movie's depiction of a Deep South in which racism hardly seems to be an issue. Whites and blacks mingle and converse and work together with practically no suggestion of the climate of oppression and intimidation that Negroes had to deal with every day. (See, for instance, Richard Wright's memoir, BLACK BOY.) In a social milieu where a colored child could be beaten to death for sassing a white woman, where lynching was a commonplace occurrence, and the Klan was respected and influential, it's dumbfounding that KINGS includes a scene where black men assault (and possibly murder) a white man with no apparent fear for the consequences. Indeed, the whole incident seems to be forgotten almost immediately. This bespeaks a cluelessness, not just about history but about the dramatic potential of the story, that undermines the whole project.

But here I'm veering into criticism of KINGS as a piece of storytelling. I don't want to be heavy-handed about this, because it's obviously a well-meaning film, and a crowd-pleaser as well. I'll observe that the movie isn't very ambitious— it tells a simple, sentimental story of generally decent people trying to make do in hard times. One might give it points for its sweet-natured amiability, or even for glimmerings of class consciousness (for instance, in its sweatshop scenes). However, at almost two hours long, it's listless and unfocused, with little dramatic tension and so, for all that it tries to be heartwarming, remarkably little payoff at its resolution.

The central conceit of this movie is that the colored gentlemen of this small town meet in weekly fashion shows, at which they contend for a sort of "best-dressed" award. Andrew Jones, the writer/director, explained that he'd borrowed this idea from a similar contest held in South Africa by the Oswenka tribe. Indeed, he said, this is the source of the word "swank."

Well, in fact, "swank" is derived from Dutch or German. "Oswenka" is the form in which it's borrowed into Zulu. Similarly topsy-turvy is the philosophy of "swanking" that the foreign-born "Mr. Gamba" regularly intones before these scenes: "No matter how poor he is, if a man can face himself in the mirror, he can face life." Gamba himself, with his frayed and patched lapels, is the very model of shabby dignity. But apparently he's not talking about the importance of having a clear conscience or personal integrity.

What the participants in his contest go to great lengths to demonstrate is that they are dressed with a painstaking (and costly) attention to the slightest details of fashionable apparel. The character who joins in, arrayed in a mismatching outfit of stolen duds and worn-out footwear, is ridiculed by all and sundry. Only when he, and the other main characters, suddenly show up dressed to the nines, is this movie ready to grant them a happy ending.

It's characteristic of the failings of KINGS OF THE EVENING that its moral about the virtues of the struggling poor should be so thuddingly bourgeois.

Expected More From It

[tfwood1958 · 1/10 · 6 March 2008]

Although this movie had quite a few well-known actors, it lacked excitement and depth. At times it was very slow-moving and boring and you kept waiting for something profound to occur, but to my disappointment, there were a lot of clichés and was very predictable. After seeing the Great Debaters with Denzel, where the story was built around justice and equal rights, which is something that really matters to society; this movie was definitely in another league. It lacked creativity, excitement, suspense, and newness. I didn't walk away from it feeling as if its message made an impact on me. Having read rave reviews about it in various articles, I expected so much more, and got way more less than anticipated.

Kudos!

[athaliah-renee · 10/10 · 1 April 2008]

I had the pleasure of watching Kings of the Evening and I was amazed by the film. I will be the first to admit that I know mostly nothing about the art of film making. And so I rightfully take my place alongside every other typical film consumer. What I can say to my credit is that I am an educated viewer and Kings of the Evening is a story well-planned and thoughtfully told. There are so few films these days that are respectful and mindful of its audience; this was not the case with Kings of the Evening. The unfolding of the story was generous, offering me an opportunity to experience characters during an era that rarely meet the silver screen. The story was rich and again, kind to the audience. What a rarity these days! This story is a wonderful tool for drawing in a piece of American history with such an unlikely story of hope! I so enjoyed the character interaction and was simply dazzled by the energy, depth and seriousness of character portrayal undertaken by each actor. Kudos to the writer(s), producer(s), director(s) and most importantly to each actor; you each brought light and life to a wonderful story.

"Kings of the Evening"

[abrahamj · 10/10 · 6 April 2008]

Last weekend, I had the great honor to view the wonderful film, "Kings of the Evening" at the 7th Annual Arizona Black Film Showcase 2008. I and many persons within the theater were very impressed with the story, the actors and actresses' performances, and the quality of the over all production of the film. It is my hope that as this country enters a time of economic, political, and social uncertainty, that this film could be an inspiration for us all, today! One can't deny the fact that this film was a labor of love for Lynn Whitfield, Glynn Turman, Tyson Beckford, Linara Washington, Reginald Dorsey, and the other persons involved in this production. I hope that my comment and others positive comments in behalf of "Kings of the Evening" will motive other persons to view such an important work of art.

Wonderful cast, wonderful story

[mcmpostino · 10/10 · 28 April 2008]

This film stands out because of its universal message and, the surprising talents of Tyson Beckford. Beckford plays a humbled, small man (not an easy task for someone known for his looks and physique)and the evolution of his character is seamless. Veteran actors generously share screen time with the lesser known and yet the entire cast gives standout performances.

And, the film isn't a "black" film per se...it features a black cast, but it's message and meaning apply to humanity at large. Subtle gestures and grand, sweeping shots make this film a must-see for lovers of beautiful cinematography and inspiring content.

BASED ON TRUE EVENTS - Brilliant Story-Telling

[ShineBrytGod · 10/10 · 7 April 2008]

First of all, I had the opportunity to hear a Q & A session, where the key players explained how the writer derived the story from true events of a real fashion show in South Africa. "Kings of the Evening" is a one of a kind. This movie is truly entertaining, and has a certain mental keenness about how the story is told. Each character is defined from the beginning, starting with Lucy Waters whose character is revealed in one of the first scenes where her co- workers compensate her docked wages. Linara Washington impressively played the role to coin a paradigm for the hard-working woman. Simply put, the intimacy expressed in each scene makes you connect to each character. That is what I believe Film-Making is all about. Lastly, the performance of Glynn Turman is again striking and he is a favorite on screen always! GREAT JOB!

Everyone should see this film! Kings of the Evening gets 10 stars!

[marketing-28 · 10/10 · 1 April 2008]

I had the pleasure of watching the film, Kings of the Evening at the San Diego Black Film Festival where it swept four awards including "BEST PICTURE. It also premiered at the Pan African Film Festival where it received Oscar Micheaux honors. It deserves all of the recognition and I hope it continues to win more awards at festivals. The story is beautiful and the actors definitely took the audience on a journey. Glynn Turman and Lynn Whitfield had so much chemistry and were definitely at their best! Vets like Bruce McGill and James Russo were also superb. I recommend watching this film if you get a chance. I feel it will be a timeless classic. It is not often that I see an audience so responsive with laughter and applause. Rarely films make me cry and this one certainly did! The film really speaks about love and compassion, which is something lacking in the entertainment industry these days. Where can I get a copy?

My 350th Review: Very lovingly made film about the Great Depression

[intelearts · 8/10 · 2 December 2010]

This was one of my favorite films of the year - because it showed wonderful heart and camaraderie - and the cast bring to life superbly the numbing poverty and never say die spirit that the 30s needed quite beautifully.

We were just swept along by this small story - Homer comes "off the line" having done two years for petty larceny and through a group of misfit friends discovers life again.

With immense charm, and a good dose of realism this is a film that avoids violence, and bad language and rather tries to connect to values - it is a pleasure to watch and as I said in my title what really shines is that this is made with care.

A very satisfying watch, not too schmaltzy at all, but just story-telling well told....

If you get a chance to watch it, do!