Sundown is the latest film from noted Mexican auteur filmmaker Michel Franco. In 2020, he directed New Order, a controversial movie noted for its bold portrayal of class systems in Mexico. After a previous collaboration on 2015’s Chronic, he reunites with Tim Roth.
He delivers a piece that draws in its audience. It allows them to feel as if they are experiencing the main narrative journey with him.
Take a look at the trailer below:
Roth stars as Neil Bennet, a quiet, reserved Englishman on vacation in Acapulco, Mexico. At first, his travel companions appear to be his wife and kids. However, his travel companions they’re actually his sister, niece and nephews. Neil and his sister are wealthy heirs to a slaughterhouse business. Unfortunately, their vacation prematurely ends when they learn of their mother’s death.
It’s at the airport where the narrative takes a sudden turn. Neil pretends he doesn’t have his passport so needs to delay his return. The story showcases a spiral of character choices delving into existentialism. Soon it becomes about his search for seclusion and isolation from his family.
Of course, this comes with eventual consequences.
Sundown seems like a hangout drama where the protagonist lounges around on the beaches of Acapulco. Ultimately, he finds intimacy with a local shopkeeper Berenice (Mexican actress Iazua Larios). Her performance is a revelation. Through this relationship, he realizes what it means to have feelings for another individual. Sadly, it’s something he fails to feel for his family.
As the film delves down its fascinating yet emotionally conflicting rabbit hole there are various shocking and visceral moments. Even though it’s not a horror movie, I jumped out of my seat a few times. The narrative isn’t shy with taking unexpected turns you’ll never see coming.
Roth’s performance is void of any real emotion apart from his relationship with Berenice. Even then, there is a sense of reservation and mystery to his character. The more we learn, the more things come together and we understand the reasons for his choices. Consequently, the lack of narrative emotion may prove unappealing for some.
For example, the film’s score stays at one single tone. Although, this isn’t a bad thing. The one tone is a stylistic choice as it reflects Roth’s character.
Franco’s direction provides an immersive experience that draws you in. It makes you invested and frustrated. There’s a constant sense of mystery surrounding every element of the story. It refuses to show you where things are going until they happen. This leaves room for a number of surprises. As a result, it’s best to go into Sundown blind.
Meanwhile, the marketing reflects its own sense of mystery as the trailer is vague. It sets in motion the pieces of the puzzle that craft its eventual revelations.
It also reflects Michel Franco’s desire to craft cinematic stories on his terms, without the demands or limitations of a conventional narrative.
Sundown is subtle European cinema that channels the intense storytelling of Alejandro Gonzales-Inarritu. Above all, it is amazing how Tim Roth delivers a great performance with few words. He allows his gestures, body language and general decision making to guide the storytelling.
In conclusion, Sundown seems to be the first great film of 2022. It dares to think outside of the box and provides its audience with a lot to analyze and shape in regard to its central themes of existentialism, family turmoil and human connections.
