The feature debut of Charlotte Wells is one of the greatest movie achievements of 2022. It is so rare that a film such as this in a 90 minute stint would summon such poignancy which lingers achingly throughout the film. It doesn’t appear to be about much for the first hour, just a heart-warming story about a father (Paul Mescal) taking his pre-teen daughter Sophie (Frankie Corio) to a run-down resort in Turkey during the 1990s.
With remarkable audacity Wells allows her movie to ripple into a hauntingly deceptive short story which keeps the watcher hooked on uncertainty. The aesthetic details of a sunshine break reverberate and show the innocence of a central relationship between father and daughter which holds incredible importance for Sophie.
Aftersun encapsulates the art of childhood memories through the literal lens of Sophie’s camera, which switches between the holiday and glimpses of the present. An adult Sophie, now in a relationship with a woman in her London flat watches back these clips endowed with a sense of nostalgia. Yet tears begin to roll down her face, confusing viewers.
Paul Mescal has been nominated for an Oscar in his role as Calum- a young Scottish father who has more to him than meets the eye. As he and his daughter Sophie begin their holiday; there is no atmosphere of imminent transgression or emotional development. It seems normal enough, going in the pool, sunbathing, doing karaoke (though an admittedly awkward scene when Sophie’s dad refuses to join in).
However, towards the end of the trip Calum goes off on his own and gets drunk, overcome with sadness he cannot show his daughter, and then becomes overwhelmed with guilt due to his neglect. As for Corio, she is a likeable good-natured child who acts well in conjunction with Mescal, their rapport being something to marvel at.
What makes Aftersun the most amazing feature is the last ten minutes. Gregory Oke’s cinematography in the final scenes between the two captures the colour of memory, with bright exteriors, vivid snapshots of Mescal in an intoxicated state, weaving in and out of the film’s emotional labyrinth which puts us right into the moment.
This scene juxtaposed with images of adult Sophie screaming excruciatingly is so heart-breaking you can’t help but cry. I cannot describe what exactly happens at the end of this film without spoiling it, but I guarantee it is the best piece of British cinema in 2022.
The ending is so ambiguous and is up to our own interpretation, there is no big declaration about Calum’s fate after the holiday. Aftersun tells you everything you need to know without explicitly stating it. It shows far more than it tells.
The film remains painfully sad in its ending but gives power to memories and to the people alive in spirit. Aftersun amplifies feelings of love, joy, and even loss, making them far more relatable than you may have thought. An absolute genius piece of filmmaking that has been harshly denied an Oscar nomination for best picture.
5/5