Sundown follows a wealthy man (Tim Roth) who attempts to abandon his family on vacation after the death of his mother. Neil Bennett, a quiet man from London, is on vacation in Acapulco with his sister Alice (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and her two children, Colin and Alexa. They stay in a luxurious hotel and eat at fancy restaurants. Day after day, the family participates in a variety of fun activities. Neil, however, is not having fun.

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Alice is told over the phone that her mother is in the hospital. Immediately, the family prepares to go home. On the way to the airport, Alice receives a second call. Her mother has passed away. Alice bursts into tears while Neil remains calm. In the airport, Neil says he forgot his passport at the hotel and will return to get it and catch up later.

However, he didn’t actually lose his passport, he just decided to stay in Acapulco to have some time for himself. He befriends a taxi driver who takes him to a small unassuming hotel off the beaten path. He spends his days eating at cheap restaurants and hanging out at the beach, ignoring Alice’s phone calls wondering where he is. One day, he meets a local woman named Bernice and the two become entangled as a couple. He’s introduced to her local friends, and they seem to be getting along fine.

One day, Alice suddenly returns feeling both anguish and anger, demanding answers as to why Neil is avoiding her and left her to deal with all the funeral arrangements. Neil appears nonchalant with no intent on returning, and suggests that the inheritance received from their mother’s passing can all be transferred to her with the exception of a monthly allowance for him to live on. Once agreed upon, she heads to the airport to return home, only to be shot at gunpoint by some criminals, which so happen to be the same individuals Neil has been seen together with Bernice. The police arrest Neil, believing he ordered the assassination to once again retain the inheritance. He lands himself in prison, and is eventually released with the help of his lawyer.

Next, Colin, and Alexa show up and find Neil is having a relationship with Bernice with no apparent remorse for the death of his sister. He eventually signs everything over to them.  Soon after he has a fall that lands him in hospital, where he is diagnosed with cancer. This is where we see how Bernice actually does care for him. While in hospital, he sneaks out to walk the streets alone, eventually ending on a beach, at which point the movie ends leaving viewers to wonder…whatever happened to Neil?

Available from Common Ground Pictures.

 

 

 

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.