Director: Charlotte Wells
Screenplay: Charlotte Wells
Starring: Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio and Celia Rowlson-Hall
Year: 2022
Duration: 101 min
Country: USA, UK
BBFC Certification: 12
Do you ever find yourself thinking back on past memories? The last time you spent time with a loved one. A holiday abroad that stuck with you forever. Charlotte Wells’ film Aftersun is about capturing that feeling of revisiting the past, even when it hurts. To say that Aftersun is a challenging film would be a massive understatement, as it deals almost directly in flashbacks to events that don’t quite make sense at first, until you piece them together as a viewer.
It follows 11 year old Sophie (Frankie Corio) as she’s on holiday with her 30 year old dad Calum (Paul Mescal). When we’re thrust into the film, there’s no real introduction to the characters in a typical manner, and we’re instead introduced via home videos, recorded on a MiniDV (the film takes place around the 1990s) which can be incredibly jarring at first. Your first thought might be “Is this a found footage film?” but as the film continues on, we’re given more traditional shot composition as we follow the father and daughter as they arrive in Turkey, their destination of choice. Wells’ direction feels incredibly personal. There’s a lot of close-up shots that feel extremely intimate, almost like we’re there in the moment with these characters. What follows in the next hour and a half are vignettes of memories we’ve never experienced. Things feel fuzzy, like we’re missing key pieces of information and we’re never fully told how either character is feeling directly. That isn’t a negative though, because if you’re willing to meet the film on its level, you’ll be able to piece the puzzle together. In the Q&A featured on this disc, the interviewer talks about how with the way the film is framed, it feels like she was tapping into her own past memories, even though they weren’t hers and that’s something that I can completely agree with. It feels like we’re reliving moments that are sometimes happy, sometimes upsetting, that can be difficult to think back on but also memories we don’t ever want to lose.
Mescal was nominated for Best Actor at the 2023 Academy Awards for his performance here, and it’s completely understandable why. The restraint he has throughout the entire film is really impressive. It’s not a showy performance where you get your big dramatic speech, it’s a film about a man who’s clearly suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts and it can get extremely upsetting at times. Seeing a man who’s so self-destructive, even when he’s trying his best to hide it and just have a good time with his daughter is painful to watch. The film isn’t all doom-and-gloom though, as there’s a lot of upbeat sequences such as when Calum and Sophie go swimming together, or play pool with other people at the resort they’re staying at. There’s a nice balance of the positive memories and the negative ones.
As an experience, Aftersun is difficult to describe. It’s something you really have to experience for yourself, and it’s definitely not going to be something that resonates with everybody out there. It’s a demanding film, both emotionally and mentally. Piecing together the missing moments of this holiday, what it means for the characters involved and more is a journey that is unlike any I’ve had in recent memory when it comes to film. There’s a sequence late into the film, which I’ll dub the ‘Under Pressure’ sequence (if you know, you know) that has brought me to tears on both of my viewings. It’s edited to perfection, conveying so much information without uttering a single word and it always, always leaves me floored. Mescal deserved the Oscar for his performance, and although it didn’t end up going to him, I’m glad he was recognised for his work here.
Aftersun is sure to polarise audiences. For those looking for a straight-forward drama, they’re more than likely going to be left disappointed. For those looking for something a bit more challenging, something ambitious in how it goes about telling the narrative, while also giving us some of the most well-realised characters I’ve seen in a film of this genre, I have a feeling they’ll be pleased by Charlotte Wells’ debut feature. I found Aftersun to be absolutely fantastic, in both its portrayal of some distressing themes and subject matter, but also as a glimpse into memories that hit extremely hard. Again, it’s not going to be for everybody but I can’t recommend it enough. One of the finest films of the 2020’s so far.
Film: 
Aftersun was released by MUBI on February 20th, 2023 on DVD and Blu-ray. I viewed the Blu-ray and it looks absolutely stellar, I must say. With an average bit-rate of around 35Mbps, the film really shines on disc. Given that a majority of the film takes place during the daytime, while the sun is shining during the holiday in Turkey, there’s some reference quality visuals here for a Blu-ray disc. Even when we get night-time sequences later in the film, black levels are fantastic and I can’t imagine getting a better presentation on Blu-ray. A 4K UHD release would have been lovely, but it’s not essential for this film so I understand why MUBI chose to stick to Blu-ray and DVD here. Audio-wise, we’re given multiple tracks to pick from. First, there’s a DTS-HD 5.1 MA which is how I viewed the film. It sounds absolutely perfect and the ‘Under Pressure’ sequence I mentioned earlier sounds phenomenal on this track. Also included is a DTS-HD 2.0 stereo mix, as well as an Audio Descriptive Dolby Digital 2.0 track. It’s a very friendly release to the hard-of-hearing, because not only do you have that Audio Descriptive track but all of the special features are subtitled too, in a variety of languages, barring the audio commentary. Props to MUBI for taking the time to add those options.
The first pressing release comes with a slipcover and six art-cards, as well as the following special features:
- Audio Commentary with director Charlotte Wells
- Q&A with Charlotte Wells, Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio
- “Palm Trees” bonus scene
- Behind the scenes at the BFI London Festival
- Tuesday, a 2015 short film by Charlotte Wells
There’s a healthy collection of supplemental material included with this release. It doesn’t go overboard, and for a film like this, that’s understandable. Tuesday, the 11 minute short film included feels thematically at home on this release and could be seen almost as a precursor to what Wells would tackle in Aftersun. The ‘Palm Trees’ bonus scene is a cute, if inessential sequence between Calum and Sophie that runs about a minute long and is a nice addition for fans of the film. The 5 minute behind-the-scenes featurette is another fun addition that follows the cast during the premiere of the film at the BFI London Film Festival.
The Q&A is a must-watch for fans of the film, having director Charlotte Wells, alongside actors Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio talk about the process of bringing Aftersun to life. Wells details her relationship with the crew, such as the cinematographer and editor and how crucial they were in capturing what she wanted for the film. Mescal talks about how the script intrigued him and what drove him to accept the role. Corio also describes her experience getting the role, with her being a first-time actor. The initial cut of the film ran for two and a half hours, which was interesting to learn about. Around half-way into the Q&A, it shifts to audience questions, asking Wells how it feels to be nominated for awards with her debut feature and more. A solid Q&A that doesn’t outstay its welcome at 27 minutes long.
The audio commentary is an interesting listen. Wells notes how it’s her first audio commentary, but soon comfortably explains her intent with certain sequences and shots as well as anecdotes about the shoot. I learned a good amount from this track, learning interesting trivia as well as some of the troubles getting certain sequences to work, both on set and in the edit. Frankie Corio’s dad and brother make cameo appearances in the film which I would have never noticed if not for listening to this track. I’d strongly recommend listening if you’re interested in learning more about what went into creating Aftersun. A great listen.
The slipcover and art-cards included in the first pressing are a really nice addition, and they fit in line with other recent releases from MUBI such as Drive My Car and The Worst Person In The World. Collectors of MUBI titles should be pleased here.
Disc/Packaging:
MUBI’s release of Aftersun is excellent, with an absolutely stunning transfer and great supplemental content to dig into, all packaged in a Blu-ray release that’s worth owning. A must-own release.
