Michel Franco, a Mexican filmmaker of note, has created an intense and astoundingly emotionless portrait of economic disparity. It starts with the apathy of a British man towards his family as he gives in to life’s luxuries in Acapulco through Sundown. The film then moves slowly at first with little dialogue and visual cues. Suddenly, there are moments of brutal violence which serve to focus attention on the true depth of the story. Therefore, Sundown is a thought-out depiction of characters belonging to different social classes. It shows how ugly beautiful can be.
Acapulco is the perfect place for the rich family to have fun in their villa. Neil (Tim Roth) watches Alice (Charlotte Gainsburg) lying stillly under sunlight. The two teenagers Alexa (Albertine Kotting McMillan) and Colin (Samuel Bottomley), however, splashing around in private pool in some playful way. Armed with cocktails the well-dressed servant has brought them they will have a meal concert tonight during eating steak for dinner; next day all that will be forgotten when Alice gets a frantic call from her mother saying that there is an emergency back home and they have to rush there as soon as possible.
They get ready hurriedly and go off to the airport where they catch their flight just on time before it takes off again. In their hurry Neil forgot his passport behind them though; he tells others not to wait for him but proceed while he follows later after him but instead goes away from the resort without returning back home only because he wants to spend some time at beach. That taxi brings him over into one shabby hotel room somewhere here.He basks on bright sun rays over white sand enjoying its warmth until she meets Bernice( Iazua Larios),a good-looking shopkeeper.She takes him into bed so fast.They flirted.During all this time,Niel phone keeps ringing non-stop but all he does is to ignore it casually while relaxing himself in the arms of another lady.The beach or bed escapade is cut short by an angry Alice going back home.
Sundown gives almost nothing away for half of its brief eighty-three minutes runtime. We watch Neil and wonder what the hell is he doing? Does he just not care? Why does he seem so content with walking away from everything that should matter? Answers are not as hard to find. Director/Writter Michel Franco(After Lucia, New Order) plays with cinematic magic. Our perception of Neil,Alice and their kids turns out to be far from true.Yet,it does not take away anything from Niel’s apathy which still lingers throughout until his last breath.The result is a most dramatic third act reveal ever staged.
At its core, this film is about exploitation according to Michel Franco. Acapulco can provide wealthy foreigners with the best services available. Expensive hotels, nice restaurants, plenty of drinks and women are always there waiting for you. On the other hand,Bernice would never sleep with him promptly if he were a destitute Mexican person.However,life for the struggling category is full of violence and corruption. Despite experiencing these harsh realities first hand, Tim Roth portrays his character as unaffected.Instead,she has her own motivations regardless of how people view her behavior towards others.He acts selfishly ,yet ironically it makes sense within context.Tim Roth delivers yet another incredible performance without overacting as usual.
The laconic manner in which Sundown has been produced draws one into its spell right away.Franco’s main character doesn’t talk much at all.Viewers follow him like detectives trying to figure out his intentions behind each step taken.The montage employs shots drenched in sunlight and lens flare. Because light warms and destroys it altogether. Sundown was produced by Teorema.
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