Aftersun - Charlotte Wells' Beautifully Tragic Elegy

Aftersun - Charlotte Wells' Beautifully Tragic Elegy

Introduction

When I got home after watching this film, I went into my parents' room and saw my dad sleeping. I stared at him for a while afterwards. You may think it's weird, but you'll probably do the same if you had just seen Aftersun. The amount of stress that he tolerated for 19 years trying to provide for me is something that I'll never fully understand, not in the near future at least. The physical and mental burdens of adulthood and parenthood are things that I don't relate to yet, but perhaps I had gotten at least a sliver of an idea from Charlotte Wells’ directorial debut.

Charlotte Wells' Aftersun introduces us to the father-daughter pair Calum and Sophie so perfectly brought to life by Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio, and follow their holiday in Turkey through the eyes, and mind, of Sophie.

Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio in Aftersun

Post-viewing Thoughts

This film took me some time to appreciate. Throughout most of the film, I appreciated the masterful direction and visual choices by Wells, the beautifully dreamy cinematography, the perfect performances by Mescal and Corio. But I also took note of the somewhat sinister and dark underlying tone of the film. As a result, I kept waiting for something big to happen, and when the credits rolled, I realised that I was paying attention to the wrong things. 

I felt unsatisfied by the film’s ending, and did not give it any second thought until I woke up the next day. I mentally rewound the film in my head, and realised that so many things flew over my head. The little moments, the seemingly aimless conversations, the lingering shots. All these tiny details come together perfectly and I just had to miss the entire point of it while watching the film. Most people got emotional after the credits rolled. For me, I got emotional a day after, when I had finally put the pieces together.

Review

Wells’ anti-narrative develops with the gradual elegance of a polaroid, taking no effort to aimlessly rush through the pair’s holiday, focusing on every small, beautiful detail. Aftersun is a poetically tragic elegy, because while we feel our hearts brimming with joy watching the warm, loving father-daughter bond, we also can’t help but feel something dark festering beneath the surface, deep down in the ocean where Calum and Sophie blissfully swim in. Just as how Calum helplessly watches an expensive pair of goggles sink out of reach underwater, we helplessly watch as Sophie desperately tries to piece together the remnants of her memories.

Performances

This film would not have been as blissful yet painful to watch if it were not for our two outstanding leads, Paul Mescal and newcomer Frankie Corio. The chemistry between them is incomprehensibly great, and their individual excellence shines throughout the film. Mescal first impressed audiences with his performance in the 2020 TV mini series Normal People, but this is my first time watching him. Paul Mescal has to be, without a doubt, one of the best actors of this generation. His emotional range is off the charts, and he flawlessly pulls off the complicated inner state of Calum in the film. Frankie Corio is incredibly charismatic and bubbly, making the audience adore Sophie right from the get-go. She does her serious scenes really well too. One scene in particular was extremely striking, with Mescal and Corio separated by a wall, and they both let their individual talents shine as they perfectly display the contrast of mental states and emotions between the two characters.

Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio shined brightly throughout

Post-re-watch Thoughts

It definitely hit harder on a second viewing. Many small details flew over my head during my first viewing, and I caught them for sure this time. Wells’ attention to detail and framing is absurdly immaculate, she manages to tell her story with such visual precision and expertise that I appreciated so much more after a re-watch. Maybe a small issue that I have with this one is that the pacing can get a little too slow at times, but besides this one small nitpick, I am nothing but impressed.

Conclusion

Aftersun really is a film that I struggle to put my thoughts about into words. It is a special piece of art, one that is handled so delicately, so gracefully. Wells has her finger on the pulse of the film, and with the talented Mescal and Corio serving up performances for the ages, there is no doubt in my mind that Aftersun will move hearts for years to come. This film fully deserves your attention, and Charlotte Wells is on my radar after this film, along with the amazing Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio. I absolutely cannot wait to see more from these crazily talented people.

Aftersun will be touching hearts for years to come