Aftersun eloquently encapsulates the best and worst moments of parenting while also exploring the awkwardness of that time just before high school. Poignant yet hopeful as heavy themes are examined without effort. This is easily one of the best films of the year and it couldn't come at a better time.
The spooky season is in the rearview, and horror is still dominating the box office. While typically I'm all about that, I decided to sit down and give a dramatic debut a go. Aftersun is the breath of fresh air I needed after going through my child’s Halloween candy. While the narrative is impressively strong, it features some of the most beautiful and inventive shot framings that I've ever seen in a film.
Aftersun is a coming-of-age film from two overlapping perspectives. One angle comes from Sophie, a young girl that hasn’t exactly found her way, and the other from her 30-something Father that has good intentions but is just as lost and lonely as his daughter. While their bond is strong, this slice of their lives is arguably the most breakable time for both of them.
What director Charlotte Wells does here is impressive. She perfectly intertwines home videos with professional footage and the result is both haunting and reflective. The melancholy tone is reminiscent of Donnie Darko, but while that was a bit fantastical, this is grounded, and probably the most realistic adaption of isolation and uncertainty that I've ever encountered. I couldn't help but relate, and the ending, oh the ending, hits you like a ton of bricks.
I loved Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade. And while Aftersun does have a similar message, this project takes a few more chances and succeeds in ways a lot of films wish they could. Wells has a lot to say, and I’m all ears. Co-produced by Barry Jenkins and Adele Romanski, don’t miss Aftersun in theaters today, November 4th.
Jessie Hobson