The Sunset Limited (2011)

Why so much hype?

Very Cool!!!

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

It is a long talk between Black (Samuel L. Jackson) and White (Tommy Lee Jones) in an apartment.. the viewer is just a listener to that long dialogue between the main characters. The dialogue started after Black, who seems to believe of higher power, saves White, who seems to believe of no higher power, from a suicide attempt.. Black brings White to his apartment to make sure he won't repeat the act again by arguing with him about the philosophy and meaning of life which really started so simple and direct but then things took a turn when Black looked like forcing White to "see" his point of views and White looked like he is completely unable to "see" anything else than his point of views.. The viewer watch two opposites argue about hope and despair.. existence and non-existence.. It is not about the actual argument between the two characters and who will win the argument.

I'm not a movie critic. I know nothing about making movies. I'm familiar with both of these actors. Nothing more. All I know is that for about one and a half hours, I watched two men in a room, captivate me with their discussion. I have to say that I'm almost 50 years old and this movie goes down in my life as one of the best I have ever seen. (I've seen a lot of movies). The movie ended and I wanted to watch it again to learn the lines!

The most impressive thing about this film is that it had me sitting and listening to two men talking to each other for a solid hour and a half.In keeping with the tag line—"Nothing is ever black or white"—there is no driving agenda to the film's overall message that I could discern. It's not trying to push Christianity, nor atheism. It simply presents two men's opposing beliefs. The preacher is no perfect Christian, nor the professor an all-knowing atheist, for neither such people exist.What it does do, however, is keep you rooted to your seat. The professor just tried to commit suicide—that's the premise of the film—and the preacher is doing everything in his power to convince him not to try again. So he tells him stories. He challenges his pessimism. He makes no secret of his own belief in God, and the professor makes no secret of what he thinks of that.There are some great points in their conversation, from both sides. You'll probably be compelled to examine your own beliefs and challenge your reasons for having them. And that's what this film succeeds at most of all: provoking a debate between polar opposite beliefs, and leaving no doubt as to the importance of that debate, because a man's life hangs in the balance.Hell, I've been writing this for 200 words and I'm already running out of things to say. But a 1.5-hour movie filled with near-constant dialogue will somehow keep you rooted to your seat. How? Go find out.

There is only black and white in this movie and much debate. Two men with two totally opposite beliefs on life and the reasons for living. Not very many people online have commented on their opinion of this movie. The day I write this, Rotten Tomatoes has yet to unveil its rating. Single shot camera action is very difficult. Working with only one other person on one set is very difficult. Tommy Lee Jones wore three hats on this production as actor, director, and producer. I knew about 3 minutes into this film that they were never gonna leave the set. There's not very many actors that can pull off an hour and 30 minutes of just talking to each other in the same small space. This movie was neither fun, nor entertaining to watch, yet it took me much longer to finish because I kept going back to hear what the characters were saying to each other over and over again. I got an education about things I don't necessarily care about while watching this, but it was fascinating all the same. I had to stop half way through to put some pieces together, and think about my own life for a minute. It reminded me of Tape (2001) directed by Richard Linklater and starring Ethan Hawke, Sean Leonard Scott, and Uma Thurman. It was filmed in the same manner yet with 3 characters instead of 2. It was not without its fair share of critical acclaim. A feat I hope The Sunset Limited can one day day claim for itself. Reviewed by AN/NR 02-15-12