Rose D. Cotton 
By Lindsey Bahr | Associated press
A man seated at the edge of an infinity pool contemplates his existence in “Sundown” by Michel Franco. It’s one of many boredom-laden images, though the sets become less luxurious as we go on this strange journey with Neil, a man who decides to leave his own life behind suddenly and without explanation.
Tim Roth, in a calm and intentionally inscrutable turn, plays Neil, who is vacationing with family members Alice (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and teenagers Colin (Samuel Bottomley) and Alexa (Albertine Kotting McMillan) at an extravagant resort with taste near Acapulco. Fans of the unhappy stepfamilies vacationing in “The White Lotus” may find “Sundown” a natural companion, at least initially. Polite hotel employees walk in and out of their lavish suite that includes a private infinity pool, ocean views, and in-room massages. They diligently collect empty beer bottles and replace them. In the morning, they greet jaded sunbathers with margaritas in frosted glasses. It’s serene and peaceful – you can almost feel the warm breeze coming through the screen.
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But just as they are sipping their morning drink, Alice receives a phone call. His mother is hospitalized and they must leave immediately. She dies before she even reaches the airport. Alice is in shambles. Neil, on the other hand, is the picture of calm. Then at the airport, as they are rushed to check in, Neil says he left his passport at the hotel and will take the first flight.
Whether or not he forgot the passport quickly becomes irrelevant. He jumps into a cap and tells the driver to take him to the hotel. “Hotel?” asks the driver. Neil simply nods. They travel to Acapulco, to a place called Hotel Camelinas, a beach party spot that isn’t quite a cockroach motel but is still worlds away from where it was.
On the sea side, there are also waiters and unlimited beers, but they come in buckets, and the chairs are cheap plastic. Neil doesn’t seem to care. He still sits in his mind and occasionally takes Alice’s call, panicked about the funeral and the decisions that need to be made. “He’s sorry, he can’t find it, the consulate is closed until Monday, blah blah blah…” he assures her without enthusiasm, returning to contemplate the coast.
What’s extraordinary about “Sundown” is how little it tells you, how much you get to know the characters, how little happens and yet how is gripping as your mind spins trying to figure out what Neil is doing and how you are feeling. about this too: confusion, frustration, rage, jealousy, admiration or all of the above? He doesn’t care when he returns to his room to find all of his stolen possessions. In fact, he tells Alice that he wants to sell his shares in the family business. It turns out they’re the heirs to a billion-dollar slaughterhouse and pork empire. Ah, you’re starting to think, this isn’t ‘The White Lotus’ – this is ‘Succession’ Season 8.
At only 83 minutes, “Sundown” remains behind until the very end. It’s not even been entirely clear for some time what Neil and Alice’s relationship really is, and Franco does a great job of compounding the discomfort and alienation that culminates in a truly shocking turn. The movie doesn’t quite recover after that, though.
Ultimately, “Sundown” is more of a spiritual sister to “Melancholia” with undertones of “Somewhere.” It is the portrait of a body whose soul is long gone.
What “Sunset” • 3½ stars out of four • Duration 1:23 • Rating R for violence, language, graphic nudity and sexual content
