A daughter fondly recalls her father in the sincere, emotionally resonant "Aftersun," a hypnotic drama that quietly places viewers under its spell.
Writer and director Charlotte Wells' promising debut feature plays with memory as a tool and lets its story unfold in dreamlike waves. It never overwhelms viewers but gives them plenty to grab hold of, telling a personal story that hits on universal themes of love, loss and connection.
It's built entirely around two immersive, impressive lead performances. Sophie (Frankie Corio, wonderfully naturalistic) is an 11-year-old vacationing with her father Calum ("Normal People's" Paul Mescal) on the beach in Turkey. It's the late '90s, which we glean from the tech of the era and the pop songs (All Saints, Blur) in the background.
Calum has split from Sophie's mother and is working on putting the pieces of his life back together. He's troubled but he tries not to show it, and Wells — who largely frames the story through Sophie's perspective — gives just enough so we know things in his life are slightly askew.
Sophie has a loving relationship with her father but he has his secrets, not the least of which are the cigarettes he sneaks or the tears he tries hiding from his daughter. At the same time, she's going through changes, and is curious about the boys at the resort, including the kid she meets up with at the arcade and the gang of slightly older teenagers goofing around at the pool and making out after dark.
Wells cuts back to glimpses of Sophie present day (played by Celia Rowlson-Hall), which frames the movie as a function of flashbacks. Wells doesn't spell out specifics, but it's inferred her father has died, and the recollections we see are playing through her mind, the way we're sometimes sideswiped in our mind by images from the past, both haunting and warm.
"Aftersun" is an assured film that trusts its audience to fill in the blanks where needed, rather than spelling everything out for them. And it's one that lingers long after its credits roll, unraveling slowly like moments in time.
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'AFTERSUN'
MPAA rating: R (for some language and brief sexual material)
Running time: 1:36
How to watch: Now in theaters
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