That Evening Sun (film)

That Evening Sun is a 2009 film based on a 2002 short story I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down by William Gay. The movie, produced by Dogwood Entertainment, stars Hal Holbrook as Abner Meecham and is directed by Scott Teems who also wrote the screenplay. That Evening Sun premiered in March 2009 at South By Southwest, where it received the Audience Award for Narrative Feature and a special Jury Prize for Ensemble Cast. Joe Leydon of Variety hailed it as an exceptionally fine example of regional indie filmmaking, and praised Holbrooks performance as a careerhighlight star turn as an irascible octogenarian farmer who will not go gentle into that good night. That Evening Sun also was screened at the 2009 Nashville Film Festival, where Holbrook was honored with a special Lifetime Achievement Award, and the film itself received another Audience Award.

Abner Meecham Hal Holbrook, an aging Tennessee farmer discarded at a nursing facility by his lawyer son, flees the old folks home and catches a ride back to his country farm to live out his days in peace. Upon his return, he discovers that his son Walton Goggins has leased the farm to an old enemy and his family. Not one to suffer fools or go down easy, Abner moves into the old tenant shack on the property and declares that he will not leave until the farm is returned to his possession. But Lonzo Choat Ray McKinnon, the new tenant, has no intention to move out or give in to the demands of the old man.Abner catches Lonzo beating his daughter Mia Wasikowska with a garden hose after she was caught returning from dating a forbidden boy, and Abner scares Lonzo off by shooting a pistol in Lonzos direction. The next day Abner has Lonzo picked up by the police, and Lonzos wife Ludie Carrie Preston is upset that she has to pay for bail, which they cannot afford. When the Choats come back from town, Lonzo is visibly upset, and murders Abners dog Nipper and hangs him from the porch of the tenant shack. Abner disappears for two days, and the Choats suspect he has finally given up. Instead, he returns with Nippers stuffed corpse, and sets him on the front porch and tells it to stand guard. Abner and Lonzo get into an arguing match in which Lonzo threatens to burn the shack down with Abner inside. The argument culminates with Abner pointing a pistol at Lonzo, but Lonzo easily disarms Abner. The police are summoned the next day, and Abner is forced to move out, partially by his son, who believes he has lost his mind. Abner admits defeat and says hell move out by the next morning. Instead he tells his neighbor Barry Corbin that Lonzo has threatened to kill him by burning the shack. Abner, haunted by recurring dreams of his longdead wife Dixie Carter then sets the shack ablaze, but stumbles while trying to exit, and he is rescued by Lonzo. ........

Source: Wikipedia