‘Sundown’ Review: Watching Tim Roth Deliver A Listless Performance As His World Falls Apart Is At Times Frustrating – Patch.com

February 4, 2022

Between last year's "Bergman Island" and the forthcoming Sundance premiere "Resurrection" a Tim Roth rebirth at the box office is underway as the veteran actor delivers absorbing performances playing tepid characters. The hot streak continues with the latest feature from writer-director Michel Franco ("New Order") reuniting the filmmaker and actor after the two collaborated on "Chronic" in 2015. "Sundown" is about a man disconnected from his family while vacationing in Acapulco. The film is vexing to watch as the narrative remains shrouded in mystery.

Franco spent a good portion of his youth in the Mexican resort town, so Acapulco has a special place in the director's heart. In "Sundown" it is depicted as a tropical paradise with bottomless buckets of cerveza, a climate soaked in hedonism, and beautiful senoritas waiting for middle-aged Brits to come along and sweep them off their feet. But when someone is gunned down on a beach crowded with tourists and locals, and a man seems to effortlessly give up everything that should be important to him, perhaps a closer inspection is needed.

Roth plays Neil the paternal unit of a family on a luxurious vacation. Everyone seems to be having a great time (except Neil). Alice (Charlotte Gainsbourg) takes advantage of the hotel's first-class amenities including massages and meditation, while teenagers Colin (Samuel Bottomley) and Alexa (Albertine Kotting McMillan) enjoy the beach and live entertainment.

Neil, on the other hand, is distant. He seems disenchanted with the vacation. At times one gets the feeling that he is being forced to have a good time. This is how Franco hooks us. For most of the film, we are left trying to figure out what is going on in Neil's head. It's like trying to solve a puzzle without any clues. Roth's absorbing performance keeps the audience engaged even when his character's actions seem irrational and harsh.

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'Sundown' Review: Watching Tim Roth Deliver A Listless Performance As His World Falls Apart Is At Times Frustrating - Patch.com