Aftersun (2022), directed by Charollete Wells, an A24 production, has been the first movie to make me truly feel like I was going through the trials of grief expressed in the film. This movie follows our protagonist, Sophie, and her dad, Callum, spending time at a Turkish resort on the eve of his 31st birthday. The specifics of their relationship or relationship with the girl’s supposed mother are rarely expanded upon. One of the only glimpses of the relationship we see in the movie is a Phone call Callum picks up from a woman whom Sophie claims to be her mom. Given the tension in the scene, it feels more than fair to presume that some sort of dispute or issue had caused them to split up; this is confirmed in the end when we see Calum sending off Sophie from the Airport, proving she has a place to go where he won’t be, her mom’s place. This scene also represents more, but I will expand on this in the spoiler paragraph.

For the childhood grief in this movie to feel real, it gives very little information about Callum’s struggles. This is reminiscent of the youthful ignorance many have felt when their parents were going through hard times. What hurts most about this movie is how great of a father Callum is trying to be to Sophie. He can barely afford this vacation, as proven by the few activities and amenities the resort provides. While he is constantly losing his mind and getting sucked in by his emotions, he tries to put on a smiling face for Sophie to become the paternal voice she needs in her life. This breaks later in the movie when he has a mental breakdown in the hotel room while naked, eventually falling asleep. Sophie comes into the room after hanging out with some teenagers to find him passed out and naked; she covers him with the blanket. The specific event that caused this is never told to us, further embedding us in the world of childlike ignorance. 

(Spoilers Ahead) Toward the end of the movie, we see an adult, Sophie, wake up in bed with her significant other, clearly being the one who is processing what we see in the film. This sets the tone for the rest of the movie, making it clear that we are not just watching a coming-of-age story but one about traumatic events. We go back to when she was a kid and see Calum walking into the ocean, representing him being consumed by his emotions and lost in a rave. These scenes intercut with Sophie’s experience of hanging out with kids at the resort. This supplies us with a contrast to the events both characters are going through. This ends when we see Callum sending Sophie off, goofing around as she leaves the airport. He is smiling, but as she leaves, his smile fades; he turns around and walks to a door, and behind it is a rave. This scene is again intercut with Callum and Sophie dancing together to the song under pressure by Queen, the line “This is our last dance” playing over and over again. This scene tells the audience that Callum has been fully consumed by his emotions and has committed suicide; this whole story is about the trauma built around Sophie’s dad’s suicide. The worst part of it was that he knew these were his last moments with Sophie. We see this when he cries after being sung happy birthday when asked by Sophie why they can’t stay at the resort forever, his inability to respond, and finally, when he buys Sophie a rug he can’t afford. This rug is meant to give Sophie something she can remember him by, and she does as we see it in her apartment as an adult.

This movie is truly a gem; its techniques of filming involving drawn-out scenes and video cameras make it feel like an actual event that happened. The movie never lets us see the whole story until the end, causing the story to feel incomplete. This plays to the movie’s advantage because often, as children, our views of the world and the people around us are narrow and never the complete picture. In closing, Aftersun is a fantastic film, and while it may not be for everyone, anyone looking to feel something must see it. 9.6/10