“An emotional tear jerker artsy drama”

Dir: Charlotte Wells

Prod: Barry Jenkins, Amy Jackson, Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak

Writ: Charlotte Wells

Cast: Paul Mescal, Frank Corio, Spike Fearn

Aftersun is a 2022 coming-of-age drama about a 30-year-old father (played by Paul Mescal) who takes his 11-year-old daughter (played by Frankie Corio) on a trip to Turkey to celebrate his 31st birthday.

This movie very much affected me. It is not your typical coming-of-age film; it’s a slow burn with no clear plot, featuring a lot of wandering and quiet scenes that make the mainstream audience bored. But if you understand the context of what’s happening with the father’s character, you’ll be hooked. The slower moments won’t bother you, and you’ll find yourself worried every time he makes a reckless decision whether it’s diving deep into the sea, crying while his daughter helps hotel staff and guests celebrate his birthday, or even attempting to jump off a cliff. These moments make the film incredibly emotional, as you feel the weight of his struggles.

The cinematography and editing are incredibly artsy; this is very much an arthouse film. The dialogue feels very well for capturing a real-life interactions. His character is consistently shown wearing a shirt, and the way he dances childishly in front of his daughter shows how much he cares for her, even though he’s deeply depressed and in need of help. Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio both deliver outstanding performances, with fantastic chemistry between them. For her film debut, Frankie Corio is remarkable, and I believe Paul Mescal deserved an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in 2023. His performance stands out among many others.

SPOILER ALERT: The use of “Under Pressure” in the final scene is haunting. It’s clear that the daughter is trying to save her father from self-destructive behavior, but she can’t. As the lyrics say, “This is our last dance, this is ourselves,” it becomes apparent that her father has passed away. The daughter watches a video recording from her father’s farewell, realizing he is dead. She feels regret but is also grateful for having had such a father. Now, she is happy with her life, married and with children.

Overall, Aftersun is an excellent movie. If you’re not into arthouse films or don’t understand the father’s context, you may find it boring. But if you appreciate movies like this, you’ll likely enjoy it, just as I did.

My Rating: A-