Starring: Paul Mescal, Francesca Corio, Celia Rowlson-Hall, Brooklyn Toulson, Sally Messha, Harry Perdios
OUR RATING: ★★★☆☆
Story:
A24 drama written and directed by Charlotte Wells. Aftersun (2022) follows Sophie (Francesca Corio), as she reflects on the shared joy and private melancholy of a holiday she took with her father, Calum (Paul Mescal), twenty years earlier. Memories real and imagined fill the gaps between as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn’t.
Our Favorite Quotes:
'There's this feeling, once you leave where you're from, like where you grew up, that you don't totally belong there again. Not really.' - Calum (Aftersun) Share on X
Best Quotes
Sophie: [to Calum] So, when you were eleven, what did you think you would be doing now?
Calum: Why don’t you go over and introduce yourself?
Sophie: Dad, no. They’re like kids. Why don’t you go over and introduce yourself?
Calum: Sophie, they’re like old.
Calum: You want a massive ice cream?
Sophie: Yeah, that’s bigger than my head.
Calum: That’s impossible, you have a massive head.
Sophie: [over phone] Dad? He’s good. Oh, my God. He’s doing weird slow motion ninja moves. Why is he so weird sometimes?
Olly: So what’s your sister’s name?
Calum: Sophie.
Olly: Nice.
Calum: I’m her dad though actually.
Olly: Sorry, I just thought…
Calum: That’s okay.
Calum: This is serious, Sophie. It’s important you get this, okay? So you can defend yourself. So if anyone ever tries to attack you, you can break free and get away.
Sophie: What if someone tries to attack me without grabbing my wrists?
Sophie: I think it’s nice that we share the same sky.
Calum: What do you mean?
Sophie: Well, like sometimes at playtime, I look up to the sky, and if I can see the sun then, I think about the fact that we can both see the sun. So, even though we’re not actually in the same place, and we’re not actually together, we kind of are in a way, you know? Like we’re both underneath the same sky, so we’re kind of together.
Sophie: How come you and mum say “love you”?
Calum: What?
Sophie: Like, on the phone. You’re not together. So, why would you say it?
Calum: Well, think of all the people you say it to, like your Nana, grandad, uncle, aunties, right?
Sophie: Yeah, but they’re like family.
Calum: Well, your mother is family.
'Don't you ever feel like you've just done a whole amazing day, and then you come home, and feel tired, and down, and feels like your bones don't work. They're just tired, and everything is tired. Like you're sinking.' - Sophie Share on X
Sophie: I remember one time, I asked mum if she’d phoned you. And she said that you were engaged. But I didn’t know why, I thought that meant that you were getting married. Like both of yous, but I didn’t know if I thought that about just you, or both of you. But isn’t that funny?
Calum: Why, because you thought we were engaged?
Sophie: Well, I didn’t know what it meant at this time. I didn’t know that it meant that you were just on the phone to somebody else. I was kind of excited.
Calum: About us getting married?
Sophie: Yeah. I was really young though.
Calum: You okay through there?
Sophie: I don’t know. I guess. I just feel a bit down or something.
Calum: What do you mean?
Sophie: I don’t know. Don’t you ever feel like you’ve just done a whole amazing day, and then you come home, and feel tired, and down, and feels like your bones don’t work. They’re just tired, and everything is tired. Like you’re sinking. I don’t know. It’s weird.
Calum: Well, we’re here to have a good time.
Sophie: [as Calum is dancing] What’s that? Oh, my God. What even is that?
Calum: These are my moves.
Sophie: Stop. That’s so embarrassing.
Calum: That’s not embarrassing!
Sophie: What did you do for your eleventh birthday?
Calum: When I was eleven, nobody remembered it was my birthday. And when I told my mum, she was so angry, she grabbed me by the ear, and made my dad drive me to the toy shop and made me pick something to buy.
Sophie: That’s a bit deep.
Calum: It’s okay.
Sophie: Think you’ll ever move back to Scotland?
Calum: No.
Sophie: Why?
Calum: There’s not enough sun.
Sophie: Very funny.
Calum: It’s all in the past for me, that’s all. And there’s this feeling, once you leave where you’re from, like where you grew up, that you don’t totally belong there again. Not really. But Edinburgh was never, I never felt like I really did belong there.
Sophie: I do. It’s home.
Calum: That’s good. I’m glad you feel that way. But you never know where you’ll end up. You can live wherever you want to live. Be whoever you want to be. You have time.
Calum: [as they’re being called to the stage for karaoke] You didn’t sign us up?
Sophie: Of course I did! We’ve done it like every holiday since I was like five.
Calum: Yeah, well, maybe you’re a little old for it now, Soph.
Sophie: What are you talking about, Dad? Those girls were like fifty.
Calum: Just let it go. Okay? He’ll move on in a second. I’m not up for it. Okay?
Sophie: Come on, Dad. It’s a laugh. They just want to hear us. We’re on holiday. We’re supposed to be having fun. Isn’t that what you said?
Calum: Sophie, I’m not doing it, okay?
[Sophie then goes onto the stage and sings by herself]
Calum: [after Sophie’s karaoke] You know, we could get you singing lessons if you wanted to learn to sing.
Sophie: Are you trying to tell me I can’t sing?
Calum: No. I’m just saying anyone can learn if they put in the work.
Sophie: Stop doing that.
Calum: Doing what?
Sophie: Offering to pay for something when I know you don’t have the money.
Michael: Where are you going?
Sophie: I’m supposed to be going home, but I got lost, because everything looks the same at night.
'You never know where you'll end up.' - Calum (Aftersun) Share on X
Calum: Did you have fun last night?
Sophie: Yeah. This boy, Michael, I met him on the motorbike game. Yeah. We kissed, last night. He kissed me, and then we kissed.
Calum: He’s your age though?
Sophie: Yeah.
Calum: Well, that’s okay, right? A peck on the cheek?
Sophie: Wel, yeah, not exactly.
Calum: You know, I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. As you get older, you know? Whatever parties you go to. Boys you meet. Drugs you take.
Sophie: Dad!
Calum: No, I’m serious, Soph. I’ve done it all, so can you too. I just want you to promise me that you’ll talk to me about it. Okay?
Sophie: Okay. But I’m never going to do any of that anyway.
Calum: That’s okay too. But if you do, remember, okay?
Calum: Did you have a good holiday then?
Sophie: The best. Wish we could just stay for longer.
Calum: Me too.
Sophie: [to Calum] Why can’t we just stay here? Can’t live in hotels for the rest of our lives.
Calum: No.
'You can live wherever you want to live. Be whoever you want to be.' Calum (Aftersun) Share on X
Calum: Last night, time for a dance.
Sophie: I don’t dance.
Calum: Sophie!
Sophie: I never, ever dance.
Calum: I’m dancing with or without you. I told you, I love to dance.
Sophie: Dad, stop. So embarrassing.
Calum: This is embarrassing?
Calum: [saying goodbye at the airport] Safe travels.
Sophie: Bye-bye.
Calum: Give my love to your mum.
Sophie: I don’t need a babysitter, you know.
Trailer: