Aftersun (2022) Dir: Charlotte Wells

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People have been telling me to watch this independent drama, the debut feature film of director Charlotte Wells, pretty much constantly since its 2022 release. It has a reputation for its powerful and emotive storytelling, something I am always privy to. I was fairly certain that I'd like this, the only thing left to determine was just how much I would.

I enjoyed the mix of faux-recorded footage and typical film camerawork. I thought it proved to be a nice method of storytelling, particularly considering the sentimental and memory-driven nature of the film. Even so, I also appreciated that the film was rather understated in its cinematography, with the focus heavily leaning towards the narrative and its characters, rather than anything overly flashy.

Speaking of which, the narrative was a wonderful mix of contemplative, sombre, and nostalgic cinema. The emotional implications of the film juxtaposed the lighthearted nature of the setting and even some of the events of the film to great effect, creating a satisfying contrast between the explicit and implicit story. I did have one niggling issue, however, in that, I found the film to be a little too slow. Some of it failed to grab me as much as I'd hoped.

Paul Mescal was evidently in his element; playing a nuanced, flawed, and complex character. He is extremely adept at providing and exploiting the depth in his roles, which, in the case of this film, allowed him to convey the evolving emotional state of his character quite brilliantly. He also mixed the fatherly and immature sides of his character very smoothly, which I appreciated a lot too.

Frankie Corio did very well, considering this was her feature film debut. She had an ease to her performance which isn't always easy, particularly considering the rather raw nature of the film. I thought she had a lovely level of chemistry with Mescal, which made some of her more emotive scenes even stronger, and, in turn, meant that the vast bulk of her performance was pretty impactful.

Overall, it came as little surprise to me that I was very fond of this one. It was crafted in a lovely way, with a hugely personal feel to it that elevated the emotional heart it boasted so fervently. I do think that it was a little too slow at a couple of points in the film, however, this certainly wasn't enough to significantly hamper my viewing experience. I can see why people adore this film so much, and while perhaps I didn't quite to the level of some, I definitely appreciated it a lot.