Review: "Time for Sunset" (2025)

You may have heard this one before. A veteran assassin is planning on quitting after one final job but soon finds themself as a target. This is the basic premise of Time for Sunset.  John is the seasoned veteran looking to get out of “the life” but a fellow assassin complicates things. We watch the cat and mouse game play out between the two, involving the loss of innocent lives, John’s wife and daughter being threatened, and a dark secret from John’s past being revealed that will change everything. Will John get out of this alive, or will his secret be his undoing?

Time For Sunset follows a very familiar formula. What helps set it apart is the performance of Don Worley as John, the sharp editing, and director Thomas Callaway’s ability to maintain a tension-filled atmosphere. The entire movie takes place in just one location, John’s hotel room, but thanks to some creative camera angles and action moments, it stays visually interesting. I really enjoyed the continual feeling of danger. Just when John is getting comfortable, a bullet flies through the window, or someone shows up in an explosive vest, or he has to deal with a possibly exploding food cart. There is also a bit of humor in an incident with a hotel “Karen”. All of these moments keep things from getting dull. Even when it is just John talking over the phone with the other assassin, Callaway manages to keep you engaged. The performance of Don Worley helps. ​

John is a layered character who works by a code, and you believe that thanks to Worley. He manages to play John with strength and yet sympathy. He isn’t a cold-blooded man, but you do believe he is a killer. He doesn’t ask for forgiveness, and you do not get the feeling of regret for the people he kills; you do feel the regret he has for his life choices that have now affected his family thanks to Worley’s performance. It was fun watching him switch between loving father and husband when on the phone with his family to the stern, all-business hitman under fire. Jaclyn Hales Julie also is a standout performance even though she does not get a large amount of screen time. The rest of the cast do a solid job as well. ​

Time for Sunset is a character-driven piece that paints the picture of a gun for hire as more than just a cold-blooded killer. The twist at the end was handled with care. I watched this a second time, and there are not many hints to the twist, but there are a few which I appreciated. While at its core, we have seen this story before, but the high production value, excellent performances, and breezy pace make this one worth a watch.