‘Rotting In The Sun’ Review – Dark, Gay, And Free

Many who see Rotting in the Sun might try to downplay it as unnecessary shock value. That would be a thin, surface-level critique of this film. It also depends on what you consider to be “shocking”. If perhaps seeing male actors in full-frontal nudity, actually performing fellatio on each other is shocking to you, then you’re probably going to be unsettled for much of this film’s runtime. Thankfully, the gratuitous sexuality in the film isn’t the film’s only calling card.

The film balances the line between gay erotic thriller and black comedy extremely well. These are two genres you might never see combined in American films, but thankfully, many foreign countries don’t share our puritanical beliefs around nudity, sex, or homosexuality, and although they may be rare, it’s always nice to get a glimpse of what cinema could be when we allow filmmakers to take exceptional, if not, controversial risks once in a while. 

Sebastian Silva, who directs and stars in this movie, is an artist consumed by depression and an unhealthy obsession with suicide. When he goes to a gay nudist beach in Mexico City, he meets social media influencer, Jordan Firstman (also playing himself). The two make a connection when Sebastian almost dies trying to save Jordan from drowning. Jordan pitches Sebastian an idea for a film project – “Curb Your Enthusiasm”- but positive”, he says. And the two set out to work together, albeit with different intentions. Sebastian is desperate for a creative outlet that doesn’t make him want to die, although that may be beyond hope, and Jordan is mostly just interested in sleeping with Sebastian. 

The film spends its first half hour as a dark, erotic comedy, teetering between Sebastian’s studio and the beach. At home, Sebastian receives questionable teasing from his friend Matteo about his obsession with suicide, including the cost of a dog poison known as Pentobarbital. At the beach, Silva is sure to let the camera follow every pair of exposed genitals as Sebastian goes by, along with a number of shots of casual nakedness and sexual intercourse. This tactic is used comedically to highlight Sebastian’s discomfort in his sexuality, and with the people around him who are too comfortable with theirs. He’s torn on his attraction and the sexual frivolity he’s witnessing. In this, Sebastian is our eyes, stunned by what we’re seeing, and too engaged to look away.

The film takes a surprising narrative turn to focus on Sebastian’s maid, Vero (Catalina Saavedra). At first, the film suffers from the loss of the dynamic between Sebastian and Jordan, as it is compelling in wondering if the free-spirited influencer will be able to pull the depressive, suicidal Sebastian out of his funk. Once the narrative focus shifts, it becomes a radically different movie that is still equally funny in ways, while ratcheting up the conflict and panic. Yet Vero’s story is the heart of the film; it’s her devotion, ineptitude, and instinct that allows the story to breathe and find a new direction that leads to a dark but satisfying ending.

The film takes the black comedy to a different level with how bleak it actually is, while never losing focus of its comedic chops. Even when someone is crying, or the prop they use with a translating Spanish to English cellphone app, the film is riotously funny while being grounded in genuine sincerity. The most notable takeaway from the movie is the amount of pure freedom Silva was able to accomplish. His hard lean into depression, suicide, and homosexuality would be an immediate non-starter in studio filmmaking, so it’s so impressive he was able to fully bring his vision to life in such an unflinching manner. It’s the kind of filmmaking you rarely see but is worth it every time. 

Rotting In The Sun will debut in theaters on September 8, 2023 courtesy of MUBI. The film will be available to stream on MUBI  on September 15. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVRKCAsFy9Y]