Sundown (I) (2021) User Reviews

So many missed this perspective on the main character

[hvn777 · 7/10 · 26 May 2022]

Most viewers apparently missed an important plot point. He was diagnosed with a tumor in his frontal lobe. Such tumors can cause changes to executive functioning, decision-making, personality, memory processing, emotion and impulse control, and understanding social situations and behaving appropriately. Viewers obviously know his 'pig hallucinations' are due to his brain cancer, but many don't make the connection to the actual behavior of the main character. Under this lens, the character isn't just someone that is dying and just says "screw it and everyone else" (which just makes him into a devolving sociopath). I hope those that missed this perspective can go back and see how he acts and reacts in the situations he is experiencing. Profound film experience.

75 minutes of Tim Roth just vibing

[varun-25071997 · 7/10 · 19 February 2022]

Jokes aside, Sundown is a devastating movie about how a man grieves in his own way and plans to spend his final days. At times we feel like blaming him for his sister's death but it was clearly not his intention for that to happen. Neil (Tim Roth) just wanted to spend his final days in a beach doing what he likes, but his wealthy family just wouldn't leave him alone.

a bucket and a beach

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 27 January 2022]

Greetings again from the darkness. How quickly we make assumptions and judge the actions of others. We all do it, and writer-director Michel Franco (NEW ORDER, 2020) seizes on this common human trait in this unconventional film centered on a man who simply doesn't act like we expect him to. Because of our tendencies to judge, Franco is able to confound, even frustrate us, by slowly revealing details that we wouldn't have guessed.

To pull this off, the filmmaker needs and receives a tremendous performance from Tim Roth. The actor takes a much different approach than his usual animated tic style, and here is exceedingly understated ... so much so that we are a bit uncomfortable watching him. He rarely speaks and seems distant from the others. The film opens with a family vacationing in Acapulco. They are clearly well-to-do folks, as evidenced by the stunning resort suite. Neil (Mr. Roth) and Allison Bennett (Charlotte Gainsbourg) are on holiday with two older kids Colin (Samuel Bottomley) and Alexa (Albertine Kotting McMillan). Our assumptions about what we are seeing are in full bloom, and that continues when Allison receives a call about a family tragedy.

As the family frantically packs and rushes to the airport for an early flight home, Neil claims to have left his passport at the hotel and will catch the next flight home. Instead, the film and Neil take a much different path ... one that leads to Neil becoming even more withdrawn. He moves into a cheap motel and spends his time lounging on the beach with a bucket of Coronas by his side. He befriends Berenice, a local played by Iazua Larios. Yet even then, Neil puts forth little effort to communicate. We keep asking, "What is wrong with him?" "What is he doing?" These are the same questions Allison asks when she returns to confront him.

As viewers, we are constantly revising the conclusions we previously jumped to as the details slowly eek out. This will likely cause frustration for some viewers, especially since Neil is not a likable guy - he just gives us nothing to relate to. Checking out from the pressures of one's life is never as romantic as it might sound, yet Neil seems extremely comfortable with his decisions. Class and cultural differences are at play here, and it's possible Roth and the film are at their best when answers aren't being provided. At least that's when the most tension is present. Franco's film is an unusual one, and certainly not one that everyone will appreciate, but he and Roth give us plenty to digest.

Opening in select theaters on January 28, 2022.

As they say, you can't always tell a book by its cover

[justahunch-70549 · 7/10 · 30 May 2022]

Unusual, interesting film that doesn't fully succeed to be what it is until it ends. That finale causes everything that occurred earlier to make sense, but this will be a slow go for those seeking more immediate answers to the puzzling behavior of the lead character, excellently portrayed by Tim Roth. The entire cast is fine, but it is his show. Ultimately, a touching, intriguing film for the patient.

Watched last evening. Haunting me today.

[seat-filler · 7/10 · 8 June 2022]

Spoilers.

The content of my remarks was primed by reading reviews only after going into the film blind. I was shocked to see how superficial some of the reads (by prominent names) were-as though I had seen a different film entirely. So much dwelling on the main character's wealth and how that wealth has made him into a dick. It's confusing. In the film I watched, one finds out what's going on bit by bit. And it is not a movie about a spoiled callous guy even though it starts out with the man's family incredulous at the disregard he displays by staying in Mexico on vacation and dodging his mother's funeral.

Why would anyone who knows somebody well be so upset and unsettled and confused by a normal pattern of jerk-like behavior? That is a clue that what we are watching is something other than it appears on the very surface.

At the start of this vacation, he is "known" by only one other man: his family lawyer. The vacation is his last hurrah, communing with his nephew, niece and sister who are unaware that he has metastatic cancer. He himself is unaware of the new tumor growing in his frontal lobe and accounting for behavior that may diverge from his norm and eventually, full-on hallucinations related to the family business which is large scale slaughtering of swine.

One reporter mentioned the film became surreal at the end. It was not surreal. It showed the I'll man we've been watching the whole time see things that are not there. Literally. Sundown even refers, in some places, to late/end stage brain cancer. Also used to describe other dementias from other diseases.

What is clear is only that the core of the man is private and wants to die independently. Not unlike how a pet wanders off at the end. He avoids situations like: chemo. And funerals. And talking about it. He wants to drink, make love with a girl, sit in the sun, swim in the ocean. It's only his reduced capacity that leaves him vulnerable to people who are desperate for money.

I have never, ever seen Tim Roth better than in this film. He hardly speaks. I don't really have the skill to comment on how nuanced these performances were...again-it's haunting me today. A slow burn. And devastating.

Slow paced but rewarding

[steveinadelaide · 7/10 · 24 July 2022]

SUNDOWN is a new psychological mystery drama from director Michel Franco. The story follows a wealthy British family who is vacationing in Acapulco when a distant emergency disrupts their plans. The simmering tensions between the group members come to the fore as they try to figure out what is going on and how to deal with the situation. Tim Roth and Charlotte Gainsbourg give strong performances as the patriarch and matriarch of the family, respectively. The rest of the cast is also excellent. The film is slow-paced and gently suspenseful, with plenty of twists and turns to keep viewers guessing as to what is at the heart of the trouble in this family.

The dialogue in SUNDOWN is sharp and intelligent, with the characters often engaging in heated exchanges that reveal a lot about their relationships. The dialogue is one of the highlights of the film, as it allows the viewer to get a sense of who these people are and what they're going through. There are also some very funny moments, which help to lighten the mood in what is otherwise a tense film.

The cinematography is beautiful, with the sun-drenched Acapulco setting providing a stunning backdrop for the film's events. The use of light and shadow is also excellent, creating an atmosphere of suspense and foreboding that adds to the film's overall impact.

Themes such as family dynamics, secrets, and betrayal are explored in SUNDOWN, making it a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant film. The slow pacing may be a challenge for some, but those who stick with it will be rewarded with a complex and rewarding experience.

Checking out

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 25 June 2022]

"Sundown" is a co-production between France, Mexico and Sweden and the most frequent language in this one is English because the protagonist(s) here stem(s) from the UK. As the film is set in Acapulco (Mexico), there is a great deal of Spanish too though, especially when all but one family member return to Britain and we mostly follow what is going on with the character staying behind. The writer and director is Michel Franco and he is one of the rising stars of Mexican cinema, even if I am not sure you can still call him that because he is in his early 40s already too and has really been active for many years already. But he is certainly among those most likely to take over when the big Oscar-winning Mexican directors like Cuarón, González Iñárritu and del Toro will make room for the next generation. This is a really short film as it is closer to 80 than to 90 minutes and that includes several minutes of credits already, but I am very much in favor of that. Movies do not need to run on and on desperately to come close to the two-hour mark. At under 1.5 hours this film achieves nicely what it is going for, namely to tell a compelling family drama story. Pay attention to the poster here on imdb. You can see a great deal of sun there, but also the red is almost an implication of the blood coming with it. Death is a very frequent companion during this film. Just look at the very first shot already with these dying fish. Crucial precursor really as there will be many people dying in these 80 minutes. Also look at the scene at the beach. When there is some kind of chill harmony really (kinda funny moment even with these chubby girls in the sand) that is disrupted so hard when most likely a few locals approach the beach on a motorboat and literally execute somebody there with several gun shots at close range. Acapulco may be paradise for many, but it comes with a risk, comes with a price tag. Safety is not guaranteed. On another occasion we hear one character ask another during a phone conversation if he is safe, so they kinda know the risks attached to it all. Oh and also look at the family business in terms of death, even if there it is animal death. There are even a few graphic depictions that only exist in the protagonist's head. It's very reasonable to wonder if he feels guilt, maybe religious guilt even.

I may elaborate a bit more on the cast here: The heart and soul of the film is Tim Roth's lead performance. His character barely talks at all, but Roth did a really fine job and got me and also everybody else I think curious about what is going to happen next. The female character with the biggest screen time I think is played by Charlotte Gainsbourg, not to be confused with Charlotte Rampling, and I initially thought she played the main character's wife, but actually they are siblings and not romantically involved. This is a truly crucial factor here from the perspective of guilt. Look at the occasion when he says to a local girl that he is not married. We genuinely think at this point that he is ruthlessly lying and unfaithful. But he is not. The longer the film goes, the more you understand the main character's motives and the less you despise him. The topping in the end is of course the information that he is very sick, most likely terminal and that it was not the first time he got diagnosed. There are documents back at his home and they had them sent to Mexico, so basically the main character is just enjoying the Mexican sun in paradise and thus decides not to return home. If there is anything really you can blame him for, then it is how he stays there and leaves his sister alone with all the funeral preparations. But my guess is that he planned to stay there from the very start. The escalation with the dying mother was just a truly unlucky circumstance, but one he cannot really take into account and reverse his decision because of that. His own possible death is more crucial than his mother's. Has to be. You would think that he also did not talk with his sister about his illness (given her swearing at him), but that is not 100% sure. Certainly, his nephew and niece are not aware. We see he still cares for them deeply when he caresses his niece in the face knowing he will never see her again. So the main character here is an incredibly tragic character. He is easy to hate early on, especially when you see he has his passport with him, but as the film progresses his actions make more and more sense. Also you cannot really be mad at the woman who is with him. She stays with him after he loses all his fortune, is always with him at the hospital it seems. She is another likable character and no gold digger or anything.

As for Gainsbourg's character, this is where tragedy struck incredibly hard as well. Nobody could have foreseen what would happen to her when she came back to the country to deal with some bureaucracy. Definitely not the main character. He did not really do anything wrong with the taxi driver he picked and could not have guessed that it was all a setup and that the man targeted him specifically to prepare a kidnapping. Or that he developed this plan in the process. I mean I somehow thought there is something wrong with the guy, but there was not really any logical foundation to think so, just my guts. He seemed too friendly. I definitely could have been wrong there too. However, it was still a bit funny how on one occasion the taxi driver and his buddies are sitting there at the table with the main character because of how awkward this situation was. This is really not a film that will deliver any comedy and when it does to some extent in terms of situational comedy or so, then it becomes obvious so quickly that in retrospective it was a pretty dark moment in fact. And not caring at all and that his question about the hotel was nothing like a question for a friend. There again, the ending is very telling in terms of darkness. Not that there is any comedy to it, but it is just as depressing as the entire film feels as a whole. Depressingly good on many occasions though and carried by strong acting. It's a film that will not be seen by too many unfortunately I think, so I was glad that the room was relatively packed during my showing. Big surprise as I am in Germany, but yeah Tim Roth certainly still has it. I hope it was equally full the other days too.

Nonetheless this film gives the audience also some harmony in terms of travelling with your family at the start. Before it all goes wrong with the fateful phone call(s) coming in. Look at how they are sitting at the table having a nice meal chatting about a woman being attracted to Roth's character. Look at how they enjoy watching cliff jumping action, look at how they are joking around, look at how they are playing cards. This was also a bit of a funny moment, or moment that proved deeper than initially you would have thought, when Roth's character says something in a playful manner that he is not a part of this when his sister and her children have a bit of a not too serious argument about working during vacation. From that moment on, in terms of the atmosphere, it all goes south. If you pay close enough attention, the very first moment already when you realize that he probably staged it was when he tells the taxi driver to just take him to some hotel and not specifically the hotel where they were staying. I also wonder what was up with his stolen luggage there in the hotel. Maybe it was done to get some information about him, about his background for the crime ahead. The taxi driver seemed close with the hotel owner, who was maybe an accomplice that way. It can also be said in favor of the main character and how it is almost impossible to hate him that he eventually paid a price too for leaving his family alone. I am of course talking about his arrest when people suspected that he was somehow involved with the killing of his sister. Maybe even behind it. The consequence was that he had to go to jail and the people that surrounded him there were not exactly charming fellas. This was then when the consulate actually did come into play because earlier it surely did not, no matter what Gainsbourg's character was thinking. I was a bit surprised when the fella there in his nice suit actually agreed to leave the protagonist alone briefly with the lawyer guy. The latter also gave a nice performance. Very brief, but fairly memorable and solid screen presence.

That is it then pretty much. This is a film that delivers nicely for the most part and became a success. Succeeds with what it is going for. No great ambitions to truly make a memorable impact or become one of the year's best, but a convincing story that rings almost never false or unauthentic despite a lot of gruesome and not exactly likable stuff happening in here. I mentioned the details already. It's easy to see that Franco and Roth have worked together in the past already as Roth's turn here feel effortlessly convincing, down to the smallest gestures like when he once again communicates to his sister that he will not be coming back with her. I really think she did not know about his illness. He does not seem like a people person talking about life-changing events like this, not even to his closest relatives. Not a coincidence he is a bachelor at his age, even if he finds romance relatively quickly when on his own in Acapulco. Or maybe romance found him you could rather say. Perhaps trust issues. Just a lone wolf you can certainly say. A great character study in any case. The performance was just as good as the writing. Pity the Oscars will surely not remember this one next year. This film gets a positive recommendation from me and that was never in doubt. No matter if it is showing at a movie theater near you or airing on television, it's a good way to spend 80 minutes, maybe less, and movie-wise you will not find many better exhibits with this runtime from the 21st century. Go for it!

Fear

[thebeachlife · 10/10 · 29 July 2022]

At the beginning, say, 20 minutes into the film I, like probably everybody else, kept thinking what an asshole. Right in the middle I made a decision I never want to be really rich or go to Mexico, even on a short holiday. At the end I realized it was the best film about the fear of death I've ever seen.

Art house wanna be but not without interest

[radhrh · 6/10 · 17 February 2022]

Playing with the audience's expectations is the name of the game. We, the audience are constantly misdirected not by the film makers but by our own biases. It's an interesting concept and I'm glad there's room for challenging films like this in a sea of Hollywood tripe. An example is Tim Roth's performance, the diametric opposite of what we expect from him. Another is the family relationships, we assume we are watching one familial dynamic only to have our expectations subverted. Even when the familial order is explined by the protagonist, Roth, we assume he is lying. It's a scene where the customery hyper active Roth performace is glimpsed so we automatically think he is lying. It's inteligent film making.

Having said that this movie is a little too self conscious and way too earnest, trying a bit too hard to be a European art house flick. It also doesn't paint Mexico in a very good light either and begs the question; why would Uber wealthy Brits holiday there when the world is full of exotic but safe destinations? Why would they holiday on the other side of the World when a close relative is at death's door? Why do they fly with commercial carriers instead of private charter? Plot holes like these trouble me.

A man who had nothing to lose, loses everything.

[LordCommandar · 5/10 · 18 July 2022]

My only take away from this film is that, Tim Roth says and does almost nothing throughout the entire film and he still able to pull off a very watchable story. That alone speaks volume to his incredible talent. A story of a man who had nothing to lose, that loses everything and you were made to figure that on your own without any build up at all.....brilliant.

Surprisingly interesting

[yoshinaruto · 8/10 · 6 March 2022]

Sundown is a film that I find difficult to explain why I enjoyed it. It's definitely not for everyone, but I was pleasantly surprised since I expected it to be more on the pretentious art film side of the spectrum.

I didn't know anything about the main character at the beginning of the film, and slowly discovering more about him over the course of the film was really interesting. The pacing is consistent, although for some it may be a bit too slow, with entire scenes that have no dialogue. I personally thought this made it feel more authentic, as there were no forced conversations for the sake of drama.

It's very much a drama, but there was an element of mystery there. In the beginning, I didn't understand the motivations of Roth's character, I didn't understand the full scope of what they were going through. Piecing it all together as the film progressed was very rewarding, and the ending gave more closure than I was expecting (movies like this tend to end abruptly).

It's a 7.5/10 for me. I wouldn't recommend it to those that like plot heavy movies or dislike character studies, but I enjoyed it far more than I was expecting.

Confusing

[Gordon-11 · 19 February 2022]

The story is quite confusing, as things are not explained at all. We have to guess who is who, what is happening, etc. Things only become slightly clearer at the end, but there are still a lot of questions.

Money Doesn't Buy Happiness ?

[Intermissionman_ · 7/10 · 6 June 2022]

Great that Director Michel Franco edits Story so everyone will be left to draw their own conclusions of Why NEIL (Tim Roth) deserts his Family.

Family Crisis aside, I think he was in a deep depression from Frame one. And as Turns out had another Issue. Acts Like he is just Floating along. The authentic Filming Locations in Mexico are Key, Mostly Beautiful but some Grim. Have your thinking cap handy ?

I want a Mexican vacation!

[lemonsky-102-300232 · 5/10 · 28 February 2022]

First hour there was little to no action except to Tim Roth drinking beer, sitting on a beach or in a pool, screwing a Mexican street vendor chick, and mumbling. He is such a good actor and Charlotte Gainsbourg is as well...this film wasted them both. She at least did some emoting before she got bumped off after two and a half scenes. I figured out fairly early that he was grieving and also terminally ill. And his grief was obvious to me as a silently stunned reaction to the death of the mother. An illness was tipped off by the microscopic images shown of a suspicious mole on (his?) skin --though it turned out to be a brain tumor?! Could have been a good film if first hour wasn't mind numbingly boring. Cinematography was good as well as the scenery. It left me longing for a better film and Mexican beach holiday!!

Another good one

[PedroPires90 · 7/10 · 27 July 2023]

When I watched New Order a few days ago, I immediately realized that I had to explore more of Michel Franco's career. Sundown is a very different film, yet it has many similarities. Both films are grounded in a high degree of realism, being very raw in their approach. They don't reveal all their cards on the table. Violence is present in both works, as well as some nudity, showing that Franco doesn't shy away from shock value. The classism and the division between rich/poor are also very much at the centre of both movies. But above all, there is always some ambivalence and decisions that leave us pondering in both movies. They are not narratively perfect films - both could go further in terms of plot and exploration - but they are films that stick in our minds.

Tim Roth does an excellent job here in a difficult role, and Iazua Larios and Charlotte Gainsbourg also contribute to this being firmly grounded. Franco films without haste but always with intention. He makes use of beautiful landscapes and a cinematography that occasionally presents stunning images, but the calmness apparent in his films always seems ready to end at any moment with the biggest bang. I would call it a blend of European cinema influences with a shock value characteristic of the American latitudes below the USA. Another work of him that I admire and certainly a career that I will explore more and keep an eye on what comes next.

I'm ready to visit Acapulco. Who's with me?

[joker-4 · 7/10 · 14 December 2022]

An incredible character study masterfully played by Tim Roth. SUNDOWN is a slow burn but beautifully shot, regardless of the paradisal surroundings. Those surroundings, ironically become more and more uncomfortable, too, as that burn starts to get hot, but never scalding.

Even though the mystery of Neil increases, there is never that "aha!" moment. That Roth expected diatribe shouting out the why's and wherefores in that incredible London accent of his. Instead, SUNDOWN provides a lazy tale of maddening degeneration, domestic beer, and, just perhaps, true love.

Totally worth watching. And totally entertaining. Totally wish, though, that the resolution was equally compelling.

Tim Roth going sicko mode

[stylss · 7/10 · 16 May 2022]

A slow burning, simple, interesting, reflective, dramatic, uneventful, confusing, but well made character study. It ramps up a few times but not a lot happens besides a convincing Tim Roth going sicko mode, having a midlife crisis, and completely disconnecting from life.

The story begins with a wealthy family on a vacation that was unexpectedly cut off by a family emergency.

[atul-sharma172 · 7/10 · 19 June 2022]

*Spoiler Below*

The central figure throughout the film was Neil Bennett who seemed aloof throughout the film. The apathetic character, at first, I thought is dealing with money-cant-buy-happiness boredom in his life but as the story progresses I realised, the character is infact, suffering from Existential Nihilism and simply doesn't care about his action and the people around him. He deattached himself from everyone without having to explain anything to anyone.

The opening shot giveaways the entire plot to me. The film mentioned his cancer ONLY to explain the origin fot his actions. The pig 🐖 hallucinations can also tells about his declining heath at different points in the film.

It's mostly a silent film with little dialogues and it's heavily rely on character and his unspoken action throughout the film. Tim Roth done well in his role.

Subtle undercurrents at play on the beach in Acapulco

[jonathanrogers1 · 8/10 · 11 October 2021]

I saw Sundown at the London Film Festival having been impressed by the director's "New Order" last year, though both films were made roughly at the same time. Tim Roth gives a magnificent understated performance of a man whose behaviour breaks with expected norms, asking us to imagine his motives. He subtlety of the director gradually and naturally reveals circumstances that may overturn our assumptions. The film has humour, violence, drama, and asks us to imagine what we do ourselves in he same circumstances. On top of these roiling undercurrents there are contrasted the beautiful but exclusive high-end beach resort with the crowded lively (and deadly) beach that the locals inhabit. Excellent supporting performances from Charlotte Gainsbourg and the others round out a thought provoking and well-executed film.

Elegant Simple Story

[otw-82267 · 6/10 · 7 June 2022]

The hook to this story is Why? Roth gives a sedate performance of a man whose motivations are deep and personal. It asks how you would face your demons.

As I was sitting in my chair ......

[aldiboronti · 2/10 · 17 February 2022]

I watched a film that wasn't there. It wasn't there again today. Oh how I wish it would go away. (With apologies to WH Mearns.) This is indeed the absence of a film rather than a film. I stared blankly at the screen while I watched and the screen stared blankly back at me. Wait, I thought, any moment something will happen, I see it in Roth's eyes, I feel it in the air. So I waited. And I waited. And I waited. Roll end credits.

Now don't get me wrong. I can appreciate slow films, Last Year at Marienbad is among my favorite movies. But this one I found simply boring. Some people clearly like it though. De gustibus non disputandum est. An extra point just for Tim Roth raises the score to 2.

No way home

[kosmasp · 9/10 · 26 April 2022]

Well there is way more to it than that. And hopefully you either let my Blockbuster stinger slide by (if you recognized it) or do not care or compare it to Spiderman or anything like that. Because this is as far removed from anything remotely in that big budget category. But if you see the movie, you will get the pun.

Having said that, this drama we have right here is really good. I had no idea what this would be. One of the main reasons was because I watched it at a sneak preview. The other would have been that I don't read about movies I am about to watch anyway. And I was lucky enough to not have to sit through a trailer.

So the beginning of the movie had me guessing as to where this would lead. A family drama? A personal drama? Who is the main character in this? It seems to be one person and than we kind of find out it is another. And as subtle as that shift in focus is - the pace will not change. So if you do not like how this evolves, if you want to call it that, you can figure that out in the first 10 minutes.

Anyone else who sticks with it ... will get a slow burn! No pun intended! And a human that might be relatable to you - depending on how you view the world. Considering what we are about to find out, some will envy him, but at the same time also be happy not to be him. A strange mix, I know - but one that is apt.

Actions also speak louder than words. So while he is saying one thing, he clearly is doing something different. What is his motivation, if any you ask? Well the movie will let you figure that one out yourself. Still it is tough to convey certain things. Or have the movie delier all the answers. The ever so great Tim Roth (who looks great and plays even greater) is as minimal as he can be. Some may feel he is without feelings - but yet there lies passion in him. But minimalistic - he does not seem to care about most things ... which is something that is coming in handy towards the end ... a weird movie that seems to have few to no conflict ... and yet is able to deliver on tension and us wondering what is up next ... and why!

A very sad man

[matznerr · 7/10 · 23 January 2024]

First I will say that I loved the movie. Love Tim Roth and his great performance with very little words but many face expressions, you could just feel him and his state of mind every single frame of the movie.

For me, It was very clear from the beginning that Neil wasn't a bad guy, he is a very sad man, so sad that he lost the ability to cope and deal with the world around him.

I didn't know why he was sad, and I love how it was revealed only at the very end of the movie while give only hints on what's going on throughout the movie.

Very good movie, kept me hooked and as I said, I just love Tim Roth!

Crushingly dull

[aaronshaverpdx · 2/10 · 5 February 2022]

A second Franco stinker after his nihilistic New Order. Crushingly dull. Mostly we watch Roth's character drink beer at the beach or by a pool, and feel zero connection to him or the threadbare plot.

As confusing as it is interesting.

[Garrrry1234 · 6/10 · 29 April 2023]

Really difficult to say whether this is worth watching or not. With an ending as convoluted and confusing as the rest of the film yet a myriad of questions and interesting quirkiness it's really hard to recommend watching this as much as it is to give it a miss.

I like the fact that it eventually shows the grittiness and danger of South America to foreigners rather than painting it as a picture of paradise that a lot of movies portray. It quickly goes from showing the friendly staff and glamour of five star living in Acapulco to the seedier and much more deadly reality of existance there not only if your foreign but if your foreign and rich enough to attract the attention of criminals.

I liked the fact that your kept guessing what exactly Neil is doing abandoning his family at such a crucial moment. Is it his wife and kids? Is he severely depressed and no longer caring for anything? Is he a good person or a terrible person? This, and the fact it's all happening in such a precarious setting as Acapulco, it's beaches, it's seedy Motels and it's jails is what is most interesting about the movie.

What I didn't like was the fact that nothing is quite explained and nobody, not one character acts like a normal human being would ever act in similar circumstances.

At not time does Neil ever act like a human being with feelings. In fact with the exception of when he is told his sisters been murdered and the scene where he is signing over the business to his Niece and Nephew does he show any human emotion whatsoever. Is this because of his cancer? It mentions its in his frontal lobe so may be an explanation, but who knows because it's not made clear at all.

The fact he picks up and starts a relationship with a pretty shop girl by barely talking. Showing no emotion and pretty much silently woo'ing this girl onto the beach, into her heart and into his bed with no charisma, no communication and no desire to do anything but get drunk on the beach each day is a mystery. Is that the point? That she didn't actually care about him and was so poor even living with him in the state he was in was better than the little she had without him? Who knows, because it's not explained!

Then there's the ending. An ending without an ending. Neil walks off from the hospital, leaving the shop girl behind and it cuts to a single chair looking over an unrecognisable beach that we hadn't seen before from a room we hadn't seen before. Is this his room? Is this where he died alone? Who knows, because it's not explained!

Frustrating stuff really.