Aftersun is a masterclass in "show don't tell"

Submitted by Astro3001 t3_1187fu9 in movies

I don't think I've ever felt the way I have after watching a film like I did after seeing this and I can't even say its through a relatable experience which the film portayed but its still felt relatable in a weird way.

I can see how some people might have found a majority of it a little bit boring since there's not exactly much that goes on a surface level but for me I was totally hooked due to the films ability to create an underlying tension by doing things like hold shots on the dad for an unusual amount of time which gives you feeling that something isn't quite right or that there's more going on here than they're letting on.

But as the film progresses you start to get fed more and more about what the theme of the film is really about with subtle scenes like when Callum walks in front of a bus without caring or a more obvious hint when he walks into the sea at night fully clothed.

And it all builds up to one of the most brillant but haunting end scenes I've ever seen in a film where the camera pans round and it's him filming for the last time indicating its the last time he seen her and he proceeds to walk into the nighclub which I interperet as her memory.

Incredible filmaking

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njdevils901 t1_j9fsaz1 wrote

It is so damn special to me when a filmmaker knows how to properly tell a story through visuals and the actor's performances rather than telling like you said. It is always nice when the filmmaker actually respects the audience not to explain everything that is happening

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Astro3001 OP t1_j9ftdhz wrote

Yeah they could have easily had a scene at end where we actually see him kill himself and would've been effective but they done it in a super creative and more heartbreaking way.

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njdevils901 t1_j9fu59j wrote

reminds me of a movie that I didn't love, but the ending was so damn perfect, where instead of showing a character committing suicide in his car in the garage, all we hear is the sound of his car horn not turning off. with the use of sound, and character reactions, we know that by running the car in his garage his head rests on the horn because he has killed himself. I feel like it is more shocking when you don't see a suicide, and only hear the sounds, and the character's reaction to the aftermath

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Verpous t1_j9ga9z3 wrote

Sounds similar to the ending of >!Chinatown!<, one of the most masterful scenes in cinema.

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Dalekdude t1_j9fu5vv wrote

The ending is such a gut punch. The Under Pressure scene was breathtaking in a theater, the sound design went off at that part

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IfYouWantTheGravy t1_j9fobi2 wrote

It reminded me of Hemingway's writing, particularly stories like "Hills Like White Elephants" where very, very little is stated outright, but if you read it carefully, you can intuit what's going on underneath the surface. I really want to see it again, because I was so focused on trying to find the deeper meaning the first time (and I'd like to watch it with subtitles).

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Former_Advert t1_j9g30yb wrote

I've been thinking about this a lot and I think one of the things that makes this film stick with you is because it silently tells the actual story of the film alongside the main film.

On the most shallow of surface level analysis the film is a sort of coming-of-age drama that follows a father and daughter on a relatively normal holiday in Turkey. But the actual story of what's actually going on is left for you to figure out through the subtext and clues given. I think that's just masterful storytelling.

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Jab_Cross_Hook t1_j9gvmt0 wrote

I had the same reaction. I've never had an emotional response to a movie the way I had with Aftersun. I can't even articulate it, it's been a few weeks and I'm still trying to process it.

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Spankety-wank t1_j9hgkuk wrote

It seems like over half of people who saw it had roughly the same response, which is kind of amazing.

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turkeygobblegobblr t1_j9fp21r wrote

Really great analysis.

I watched this movie last night and had trouble articulating why I loved it. I spent the whole time waiting for a cathartic scene where emotions would explode out, and the more I think about it the more I realize that the lack of such a scene is what makes everything happening under the surface carry so much devastating weight.

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BGN777 t1_j9gw05x wrote

I've seen too many people not get what happens in the end but that just makes me love it more. It's not ham-fisted but still obvious if you've been paying attention.

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Astro3001 OP t1_j9h5hvx wrote

Yeah I feel like the people not getting it weren't fully hooked thoughout because the ending doesn't spell it out in bold writting its nice and subtle.

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SeanRyanNJ t1_j9g2u9i wrote

I had someone anxiety watching this movie waiting for something bad to happen to this lovely father and daughter.

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ChrisEvansFan t1_j9fp2zt wrote

Thesame as you! I truly love it because how it was shot just totally made the audience a “participant” of the entire film. You feel like you were with them in that vacation. I love these kind of movies that trusts the audience to think on their own.

The ending truly turned the film into something else.

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Loriegolaud t1_j9ie33t wrote

I think that since there’s nothing much happening, you’re drawn to analyse every details in each scene. You’re trying not to miss anything asking what’s wrong with this picture. Then I realize this is essentially what Sophie is trying to do as well. The amazing thing is that Charlotte Wells, the director, didn’t even need to have her narrate to make us feel what her intentions were. We were asking the same questions: Is he ok? What is he thinking right now? Why is this important? All this is only possible by the great actors who are able to portrait all the subtleties of emotions. Showing a smile to hide shame, staying silent when in anger, avoiding eye contact when annoyed. I was also really impressed by all the emotions I felt while being shown so little. I could talk for hours about this movie!

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m48a5_patton t1_j9g2q8a wrote

Why is everything a "masterclass" now? What about a "doctorateclass"?

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JoeyJoeJoeJuniorShab t1_j9k3pf9 wrote

I've been learning about Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (cPTSD) and where it may come from. A lot of childhood abuse may develop as BPD and/or cPTSD.

A couple of things that can manifest as a result is suicidal tendencies (Calum says he didn't expect to even make it to 20 let alone 30), impulsivity and recklessness (his arm cast, walking in front of bus) but as well as the anxious attachment style that develops which we see with Callum's relation with his ex/Sophie's mum but he obviously loves his daughter. Anger that can be internalised but explode outwardly (the scene where Callum spits at himself in the mirror or when everyone sings Happy Birthday and he looks so.fucking.angry. Mood swings are also manifested too and Callum does switch moods a lot.

Maybe projecting my shit onto the character but I found this a hard watch with this lens.

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MayoFetish t1_j9g2jw6 wrote

Is it really made with personal footage or is that all made for the film?

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Astro3001 OP t1_j9g3aw4 wrote

All made for the film but the director from what I gather based it on her personal experience.

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blalkr t1_j9gkbri wrote

I thought it was good but way too long for what it was trying to say. Could have been a great indie short but as a full length movie, there was just too little happening.

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Looper007 t1_j9hy8tg wrote

I think Mescal performance is deserving of his Oscar nod, just a quick glance and body movement tells you all you need to know on that character.

I could be totally out of my depth here. It always felt looking at Calum , that Sophie's mum probably dumped him and that his family was everything to him. When he's in conservation with her on the phone, you just tell the man's heartbroken to see that she's moved on to someone else. You see moments of recklessness from him that shows that he's on the edge.

That Sophie is probably the only person he has left that keeps him hanging on, and that once he sees that she's growing up and growing apart from him throughout the holiday, that it's the end for him. And not knowing it's clearly effected Sophie that she needed him as much as he needed her. That's what I read into it and it's really heartbreaking.

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nourez t1_j9i3ezg wrote

It's one of my favorite films in years. Absolute masterclass in subtlety and minimalistic filmmaking. Love that it also released in the same year as EEOAA, which is also great but pretty much the exact opposite in pretty much every way.

It's probably my favourite film this side of Moonlight.

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KellyKellogs t1_ja73p0y wrote

I disagree and I would've loved for them to tell some of the story.

I just didn't understand what was going on. I felt visually uncomfortable because of the flashing white lights so I didn't understand much of what was happening in those scenes.

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chichris t1_jaaei7t wrote

I’m blown away! Wow! Watched it last night on a whim and had no idea where it was going and then the end happened. I was speechless and started to replay the movie in my head. After watching it a second time this is a straight up masterpiece. What a amazing debut!

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GoneOffWorld t1_j9h1956 wrote

Is this film streaming anywhere?

Thank you for any help.

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Astro3001 OP t1_j9h5q5h wrote

Don't think its on any streaming platform, I heard A24 have their own platform for watching their films so it might be on that im not too sure though

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Room480 t1_j9s5up8 wrote

You can rent it on xfinity if you have that

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