Aftersun (its title is never explained) is an excellent debut feature film by Wells, who did make three shorts previously, of which "Tuesday (2015)" also explored the father-daughter relationship. This film about a divorced father and his 11 year old daughter going on their traditional holiday together explores how memory can distort and be mixed with perhaps false memories, or wish fullfilment. Did all of it really happen, or was it just how an 11 year old interprets things she didn't have the maturity yet to fully understand? The style of filming however, is somewhat of a burden to a viewer. It consists of mainly close ups of the protagonists faces, clearly to emphasize that the movie is solely about a father and his daughter.
This is contrasted by wide shots where father and daughter are barely visible and not recognizable. The other characters in the film, (the teens, hotel personnel, other holiday makers) are hardly in frame, barely have lines. Only the 12 year old boy Sophie kisses is clearly visible. Aftersun is also clearly a film of it's age, when it comes how the young actress is shot. Even though it plays in a holiday resort, and Sophie is dressed accordingly and in swim wear, any and all salaciousness is carefully avoided. She's never shown in a bikini, but rather in a full, dark colored bathing suit. The one time there's a three -quarter shot of Sophie underwater, she wears a t-shirt. The kiss between her and Micheal is filmed from behind his head, so it's pretty clear there was no physical contact whatsoever between the actors.
While the direction and acting is in general wonderful, there are times when Sophie smiles too much. When child actors smile too much and inappropriately, they do that out cluelessness, embarrassment of shyness. In general it means they're bad at acting, but since Corio also had good acting moments, I suspect she was directed to smile, which tells us the direction wasn't up to par.
This is a minor flaw in an on the whole, lovely debut.
7 oth 10
The Melancholic Alcoholic.
This is contrasted by wide shots where father and daughter are barely visible and not recognizable. The other characters in the film, (the teens, hotel personnel, other holiday makers) are hardly in frame, barely have lines. Only the 12 year old boy Sophie kisses is clearly visible. Aftersun is also clearly a film of it's age, when it comes how the young actress is shot. Even though it plays in a holiday resort, and Sophie is dressed accordingly and in swim wear, any and all salaciousness is carefully avoided. She's never shown in a bikini, but rather in a full, dark colored bathing suit. The one time there's a three -quarter shot of Sophie underwater, she wears a t-shirt. The kiss between her and Micheal is filmed from behind his head, so it's pretty clear there was no physical contact whatsoever between the actors.
While the direction and acting is in general wonderful, there are times when Sophie smiles too much. When child actors smile too much and inappropriately, they do that out cluelessness, embarrassment of shyness. In general it means they're bad at acting, but since Corio also had good acting moments, I suspect she was directed to smile, which tells us the direction wasn't up to par.
This is a minor flaw in an on the whole, lovely debut.
7 oth 10
The Melancholic Alcoholic.