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7/05/2015

The Sunset Limited (2011) - Jones' cerebral Cormac McCarthy drama



A nicely designed poster for Tommy Lee Jones' The Sunset Limited

QUICK REVIEW:

Two men are in the one's apartment: He has saved the other man, a professor, from a suicide attempt, jumping out in front of the Sunset Limited. Now the train driver/ex con wants to persuade the despairing professor of the presence of God and the value of life.

Because this HBO TV-movie is based on a Cormac McCarthy (The Counsellor (2013)) play, if you have prior knowledge of McCarthy's writings and views, you pretty much know who is going to 'win' this meeting of opposites. But to McCarthy's credit speaks that he has written the verbal battle of Sunset Limited as an almost fair fight.
The dialog is sharp and well-written so it appear to nearly sing, and both actors, Tommy Lee Jones (The Homesman (2014)), who also directed, and Samuel L. Jackson (Django Unchained (2012)), play impeccably. They meet here again after playing very well against each other in William Friedkin's great The Rules of Engagement (2000).
But this is still very much a play, - and I imagine that nearly nothing has been changed from the stage version at all. And it is also extremely dialog-heavy.
Intellectuals will still be able to appreciate the film, especially the religiously-philosophically and/or historically interested.

Related reviews:

Tommy Lee Jones: The Homesman (2014) - Revisit the harsh American West with Jones, Swank and a wagonload of crazy women (actor-director)
Men in Black 3 (2012) - Third MiB-chapter entertains the suits and shades off of everyone! (actor) 
Hope Springs (2012) - Making an old marriage work, peppered with Streep at her best and top-grade talent all-around (actor)






Watch the trailer for the film here

Cost: Unknown
Box office: None (TV movie)
= Uncertainty
[Ratings and sales informations are not available online. Sunset Limited drew mixed reviews from critics.]

What do you think of The Sunset Limited?

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