Review: Crude comedy ‘Sundown’ is strictly offensive

Writer/director Fernando Lebrija’s “Sundown” is a distressingly sexist and tone-deaf spring break sex comedy cobbled together from references to other classic party films and sounds as though it was written by aliens approximating teen speak.

Aspiring DJ Logan (Devon Werkheiser) wants is to give his crush, Lina (Sara Paxton), a thumb drive with his latest EDM mix. Egged on by his obnoxious best friend Blake (Sean Marquette) — a vile Joe Francis in the making, who repeatedly greets groups of women by shouting a slang word for female genitalia — the pair follow Lina to Puerto Vallarta on an illicit spring break trip. They soak up the Mexican culture, where every local is depicted as either a shady grifter or a body to be sexually exploited, often both.

The first hour of the film is misogynistic, trans- and homophobic and downright degrading for everyone involved, including the audience. “Sundown” somewhat rights itself when the gringos are plunged into Puerto Vallarta’s seedy criminal underground, after a sex worker, Gaby (Camilla Belle), relieves Logan of his family heirloom Rolex as collateral for their night together. High jinks ensue, which allow for Logan and Blake to learn a little something about themselves, find love and achieve their dream of playing a mixtape in a nightclub.

There’s only one question: What turn of events could have led once-promising actresses Belle and Paxton to appear in this shoddily made, offensive and unfunny film? It’s a mystery.

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‘Sundown’

MPAA rating: R for crude sexual content, graphic nudity, language throughout, some drug use, and for teen partying.

Running time: 1 hour, 43 minutes

Playing: In general release