After 3 Years, My Favorite A24 Drama With 95% Rotten Tomatoes Finally Comes to Max

Charlotte Wells' debut Aftersun was one of the best films of 2022 that won numerous awards including an Oscar nomination for Paul Mescal. This success can be called unexpected, despite the fact that the project is backed by A24 Studio.

Wells' film premiered in the third-rate competition of the Cannes Film Festival, many of whose participants dissolve in the darkness of time.

But Aftersun has become one of the most impressive full-length debuts in recent memory, and one that is not likely to fade away.

What Is Aftersun About?

The main character, Sophie, remembers a trip to Turkey with her father. She was 11 years old at the time, and her father, Calum, had just turned 31.

Memories and footage from a video camera bought for the trip help the now-grown Sophie understand the kind of person her father was.

Aftersun Is a Semi-Autobiographical Story Filled With Real Emotions

Aftersun is inspired by the director's personal story, whose filmography began with memories of her father not once, but twice.

In Wells' debut short, Tuesday, a teenage girl remembers her late father by spending evenings at his house and wearing his sweater.

In terms of real events, the plot of Tuesday is probably closer to the story of Wells, who lost her father at 16, than to Aftersun. But the most reliable element of her feature debut is the autobiographical nature of its emotions.

Aftersun Is a Real Cinematic Magic That Has an Impact on Viewers' Hearts and Minds

In a letter to viewers, Wells described the mood of the film with the Turkish word "hasret," which describes an emotion at the intersection of longing, love, and a sense of loss.

This combination is felt in every frame: from quiet close-ups on a yacht to rare emotional outbursts, as in the moment when Sophie's story of unexpectedly overwhelming sadness is told.

The movie's main emotional discovery is the way it combines Sophie's memories, her fantasies, and video footage of her and her father's vacation.

A midday nap and evening shows by the sea are interrupted by Calum's stories of childhood and the mistakes of his youth, and by the nightmares of a girl who, from the heights of her years, tries to reach out to a loved one and talk about what it's like to be a young parent.

Aftersun Will Soon Be Available on Max

Aftersun is an instant classic that gets better and more moving with each viewing. It is perhaps one of the three strongest debuts of the last decade, along with Damien Chazelle's Whiplash and Darius Marder's Sound of Metal.

And Aftersun is coming to Max – the movie will be available for streaming on April 1.