After the Sunset

This is a light, happy-go-lucky movie set mostly on Nassau in the Bahamas. Meet Max and Lola, two diamond thieves who have retired to this idyllic location to spend their loot. The problem is Stan, a shambolic, rather wild-eyed FBI agent who has been outwitted by them for years. Not content with letting them enjoy their retirement, he shows up on their (beachfront) doorstep and proceeds to lure them into another big heist. Lola's content with watching sunsets, but Max still has the bug. Will he take the bait? Complications arise because of the involvement of two locals: beautiful cop Sophie and bad guy Henri Mooré.

This movie was enjoyable enough as summer television-like movie, but it doesn't go much deeper than that. There's not a lot of realism and art here. It was like a television movie.

I don't know what makes television movies different from regular movies. Is it the writing? The plot development? The acting? They have a certain cliché nature, don't they? At times this movie definitely had the cheesiness and artificiality of television shows like the Love Boat and To Catch a Thief. That's not necessarily a bad thing. A lot of people love that kind of thing. It's not too demanding. And it's fun. People were laughing.

I suppose part of the problem for me was, well, Pierce Brosnan and Woody Harrelson. I just couldn't see these two with Salma Hayek and Naomie Harris, respectively. Isn't the age difference a little too much? Is it wrong for me to point out that -- unlike the women they were with -- these two were (by 2004) no longer hot enough to generate heat in their love scenes?

I have seen these two actors deliver outstanding performances. They are strong enough to pull off a film like this in their sleep. However, I am just not interested in them enough to spend two hours watching their buddy antics (drinking, fishing, even in bed). They are not lovable fun characters to me, although I think that's the effect the director was trying to achieve. These scenes were too forced. I saw no buddy chemistry.

There was a good deal of wise-cracking (eg "I knew that when I married you. I knew that when I divorced you!") and slapstick (eg Stan gets hit in the head by a trombone.) The scuba scenes and the cruise ship scenes at the end were not believable, not that I think this movie's intended audience would care about that. It's all meant to be part of the fun.

The person I was with walked out of the film halfway through. I thought it was OK. I mean, I didn't hate it.

"After the sunset" is surely not a demanding film...and none of us expected to be one. Take Pierce Brosnan - a great showman and a guy with asense of humor, add sexy as she's ever been Salma Hayek, add Woody Harrelson in good form, top it off with decent screenplay that does not take itself too seriously or risk falling into pretentious or shallow territory and you have yourself a very entertaining little piece of movie-making. There's not much to discuss about After the sunset. It has a lot of funny moments, at times it's silly and implausible but you don't really have time to think about that. It's without doubt not the best movie Pierce, Salma or Woody have made, but it's far from the worst either. If you're looking for an hour and a half of casual entertainment with solid performances, script and directing go see it...you'll feel pretty good after you do :)

I actually just saw this movie last night, and I have to say it was one of the better films of 2004. The premise is perfect, the setting is gorgeous, the talent is amazing, and the twists are great. I don't see why this got such bad press. It's a pretty cool heist flick, almost reminiscent of Thomas Crown Affair (McQueen or Brosnan, either one was great). If you haven't seen it yet, I HIGHLY recommend it. There is a lot of great humour in this film too, something that really surprised me. Also, can anyone tell me if this was filmed on the Island of Nasssau? I did see a Disney cruise liner in the background of the first Harbor shot, and and I know that is part of their usual route. Don Cheadle plays an excellent villain, and the performances by Hayek, Harrelson, and Brosnan really make for an entertaining film. The premise is quite good, and I'll reiterate, it is not only a good heist film, but one of the FUNNIEST movies of the year.

The Seven Seas Navigator is docking in Paradise Island in the Bahamas for a solid week…They're having a nice promotion for the maiden voyage, calling it the Diamond Cruise: a gem exhibit whose star attraction is the third Napoleon Diamond… It's, allegedly, the only priceless remaining 'cute little rock' Max Burdett and Lola Cirillo haven't stolen…

The unlocking Special Agent Stan Lloyd of the FBI (Woody Harrelson) suspects that the two are planning to purloin it… But how could they with six cameras plus 24-hour rotating guards, unbreakable polycarbonate display?

Max (Pierce Brosnan) knows he can easily clip Napoleon III and make Lloyd look like a jerk again… For him, it's more about the challenge and the alibi—that's his work of art… But he affirms that the two are a couple of retirees trying to enjoy the island life…

The gorgeous Lola (Salma Hayek) knows that, with Max, they went out at the top of their game, undefeated… They were great together… But, now, she feels it is the best time to quit… For her, now, the challenge is to find joy in simple things, as a life filled with sunsets…

Lloyd was chasing Max for seven years—ever since the first Napoleon Diamond went missing… That day, he got to the scene, and took a few shots at the getaway car… Next day, a bottle of champagne arrives at FBI Headquarters with a note saying, "Aim for the tires next time."

In the island, Lloyd teams up with the beautiful Sophie (Naomie Harris) a local intriguing cop who requires a big arrest…

On the scene also appears Henri Mooré (Don Cheadle)—the biggest gangster on the island—who affirms to Max that the impoverished people of the island need his help, and that a cash injection in tens of millions of dollars would relieve the entire Caribbean… So, he suggests to Max a partnership… He would give him what he doesn't have: access to the marina, the crews, rotation schedules, whatever he needs…

With picturesque sunsets, this colorful caper comedy has plenty of beauty, fun and humor

A movie with the great Pierce Brosnan can't go wrong really, everything he does, he makes look effortlessly cool.

The story about the diamond heist though, seems secondary to the beautiful locations, and Brett Ratner's obcession with filming Miss Hayek's chest from all conceivable angles (not necessarily a bad thing). Although Hayek is SO botoxed that she can barely move her facial muscles to express any kind of emotion.

Woody Harrelson and Brosnan make a really funny team, and if they make a sequel, I hope it concentrates on their two characters, because they have a great screen chemistry.