Until the Night (Las Vegas Weekly, June 24, 2004)

This review is available online at:
http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/2004/06/24/cinevegas1.html

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UNTIL THE NIGHT

UNTIL THE NIGHT (NR)
(4 stars)

Stars: Norman Reedus, Kathleen Robertson, Missy Crider
Director: Gregory Hatanaka

Lately, my job as a film critic has been more like that of a coal-mine canary. I go in first to suffer and die so everyone else is warned it isn't safe. Thus, it's a special treat when I get to break the news to the world that I have seen brilliant, new talent.

Until the Night is an intensely moody character study about two people who have grown disillusioned with their lives and relationships. Kathleen Robertson is superb as Elizabeth, a woman struggling to stay optimistic about her failing marriage to Daniel (Michael T. Weiss). Meanwhile, Robert (Norman Reedus), a failed writer and sometimes photographer, descends into alcoholism in the waning days of his relationship with Mina (Missy Crider).

Over 40 minutes pass before Elizabeth and Robert meet, giving Hatanaka plenty of time to build atmosphere. When they finally meet, we feel the promise of salvation, even though both we and them know the affair is doomed. Above all, Elizabeth needs and wants stability, and Robert is anything but that. Robert, on the other hand, is addicted to wanting what he doesn't have. Once he has Elizabeth, he'll go back to leaving countless messages on model Karina's (Sarah Lassez) answering machine.

At times, Until the Night feels repetitive. There are too many similar scenes of Elizabeth fighting with her husband or Robert annoying his girlfriend. But even when these scenes fail to advance the characters' development, they never spoil the gloriously oppressive mood. Yasu Tanida should be commended for his claustrophobic cinematography.

Until the Night is an organic experience. Nothing seems plotted or purposefully intertwined. Reedus and Robertson's virtuoso performances create true people. This is a brilliant first film for Hatanaka. May there be many more.

Matthew Scott Hunter