The Sunset Limited (HBO)

About The Sunset Limited (HBO)

The Sunset Limited is a philosophical drama film released in 2011 by HBO. Directed by and starring Tommy Lee Jones along with Samuel L. Jackson, the film is an adaptation of a play by Cormac McCarthy. The story revolves around two men in a room after one has saved the other from committing suicide, engaging in a deep philosophical conversation touching areas of life, death, faith, and human nature.

Making / Production

The film is based on Cormac McCarthy’s play and is set exclusively in a New York apartment. The film captures the intense verbal exchange between the characters beautifully, demonstrating the strength of dialogues in the dramatized narrative. Directed by Tommy Lee Jones, the visualization of the play was done in a way that the essence of the stage play remained intact, and the dialogue-heavy script was well adapted to screen.

Actors

• Tommy Lee Jones as White: An atheist professor who tried to commit suicide. Jones captures his character's existential despair brilliantly.
• Samuel L. Jackson as Black: A devoutly religious ex-convict who stops White from killing himself. Jackson delivers a powerful performance, bouncing off ideas of faith and life.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The movie is primarily set in a single room, reflecting its origin as a stage play.
• The film's title, "The Sunset Limited," is derived from the name of a passenger train that travels from Louisiana to California. This is metaphorical, paralleling the journey the characters had during their conversation.
• This film reunites Samuel L. Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones after Rules of Engagement (2000).

Awards

The movie, although praised for its performances, did not receive any major awards.

Quotes

• "The truth can be of no value without courage."
• "I'm not interested in truth. Truth does not entice me."
• "Nothin' is ever over."

Music, Soundtrack

• The movie doesn't have any specific soundtrack as it heavily relies on its strong dialogues.