After the Sunset Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)November 17th, 2004
AFTER THE SUNSET
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2004 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2
The reasonably entertaining AFTER THE SUNSET, a B movie with good stars, is directed without much originality by RUSH HOUR series director Brett Ratner. A romantic caper comedy, it features lots and lots of Salma Hayek's gorgeous body, but skimpy bikinis are used to make sure that the movie gets the more marketable PG-13 rating. Don't want to show too much skin and get slapped with the dreaded R-rating, which might keep out some of the teens. Actually, I suspect the demographics for this movie will skew much older so they might as well have brought it in at an R and given us adults more than just constant teases.
And speaking of looks, Hayek's costar is the even better looking Pierce Brosnan, doing a part more in THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR mode than one of his signature James Bond roles. The other two male leads are Woody Harrelson, as a doofus FBI agent, and Don Cheadle, as a local mobster.
The setup for the thin plot is that Max Burdett (Brosnan) and his longtime partner in crime and sex, Lola Cirillo (Hayek), have retired incredibly wealthy to live a life of luxury in paradise, their new home in the Bahamas. As the gentle ocean breeze blows, Lola is contented, but Max is restless. He even tries to goad her into stealing a bracelet from their dinner companions just to prove that she can still do it. Lola finally realizes that Max has been cheating on her, not with a woman but a diamond. He's itching to steal a big rock currently on display on a cruise boat in the harbor. FBI Agent Stan Lloyd (Harrelson), who has been fooled by Max before, is on the scene to guarantee that he won't be tricked again, which, of course, means that he most certainly will be.
You've seen this movie many times before, but AFTER THE SUNSET is kind of fun nonetheless.
So what video do Max and Lola rent for an evening at home? TO CATCH A THIEF, of course.
AFTER THE SUNSET runs 1:40. It is rated PG-13 for "sexuality, violence and language" and would be acceptable for kids around 12 and up.
The film is playing in nationwide release now in the United States. In the Silicon Valley, it is showing at the AMC theaters, the Century theaters and the Camera Cinemas.
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