TWILIGHT

There is a line in the new Paul Newman detective story, TWILIGHT, where a policewoman friend says to Newsman’s character Harry Ross: “You’re becoming a danger to yourself. You’re getting rusty.” Despite a strong cast, these lines could describe the story and direction of TWILIGHT: unconvincing, uninvolving and rusty. Clearly aimed at a mature market, this time-passer of a movie contains two whodunits, concerning a murder in the past and one in the present, but the revelation of the killer yields little satisfaction. When two of the elder actors get into an action sequence, viewers laugh and wonder if this is some sort of bizarre GRUMPY OLD MEN movie.

Harry Ross is a retired police detective living as a hired hand in the mansion of ailing, retired actor Jack Ames (Gene Hackman). Jack is married to the still attractive, but also retired actress Catherine Ames, played by Susan Sarandon. As the story opens, Jack sends Harry down to Mexico to rescue Jim’s daughter, Mel (Reese Witherspoon) who has run away with her boyfriend, Jeff. In Mexico, things get out of control, and Mel shoots Harry in the leg. Rumor spreads that Harry had a more sensitive part of his anatomy shot off.

The story jumps ahead two years where Catherine swims and walks around her home in the nude, obviously taunting Harry and his aging hormones. Viewers learn that Catherine’s former husband was “accidentally” killed and that Catherine has feelings of affection for Harry. Catherine and Harry have a sexual tryst (thankfully not shown), and Jack has a heart attack. As Jack lies dying, he asks Harry to deliver some money to a woman. At the address where Harry is to make the delivery, Lester, a police officer, shoots at Harry. Lester has been already shot himself. Lester dies in front of Harry. Harry later learns that the money was hush money to keep Jeff away from Mel.

Then, Harry gets nearly killed himself, and two more people are killed. Catherine is suspected of the murder, and Harry’s retired policeman friend, Raymond Hope, played by James Garner, gets caught up in the action. A shoot-out between two of the main characters ends it all, and the killer is revealed.

All of this is rusty, worn and tiring. Not to say that a great movie can’t be made with a largely old cast, but two many retirees trying to get involved in dirty business doesn’t make for compelling drama here. When Harry beds down and gets into a shoot-out, it is unintentionally funny.

The movie makes a few moral statements: police work is dirty, difficult business, and to watch somebody die is never an opportunity for excitement. However, there is no deeper or redeeming value to this movie. At one point, Newman asks Hackman if he cares about right and wrong. All Hackman can say is that he loves his wife.

The actors do their best with the material handed to them, overacting without truly convincing portrayals. Furthermore, it is hard to feel sympathy for Catherine, without adequately knowing her. All the audience knows is that she is now an adulterous woman. Viewers do not meet her former deceased husband nor her current ailing husband. The audience does not know that Harry suspects her of committing the crimes. James Garner’s talents are not fully explored. He does little but to bicker with Harry and to urinate off his balcony. Newman should have played the detective roles when he was younger. There is no shame in wanting to continue to act and to have compelling roles as one grows older, but age carries with it the presumption of wisdom and dignity, but in this movie, all the older actors degrade themselves, purposefully or not.