I seldom cry at movies. I never cry in public at movies. But Aftersun had me crying on a full plane of strangers for multiple hours. it’s almost been a week since I’ve seen it and I have thought about it everyday. It’s an extremely quiet film with an incredible way of having a profound impact. The movie is about a trip that a father and daughter make and the daughter is looking back on it years later. It has various topics like father/daughter dynamics, mental health, coming of age, but what I found the most intriguing part was the take on quite masculinity. Most films I have seen that explore the topic of masculinity are in the realm of toxicity or very abrasive and aggressive forms. This movie depicted the type of masculinity I see in my life with my male family and friends and it was heartbreaking but also beautiful. I can’t recommend it enough. It changed how I view people in my life and also myself. It inspired me to open up conversations with my father. And if you don’t have a father, I recommend it as well.
