After the Hunt

 

“Not everything is supposed to make you comfortable”

Frustrating, uncomfortable and intrusive, After the Hunt is morally and narratively messy, and that’s likely the point, but the unresolved conflict leaves a sour taste, despite a masterful acting showcase which salvages deeply unlikeable characters and makes them deeply empathetic and distressingly watchable.

Discussion Points:

Luca Guadagnino’s latest feels both in-step yet out-of-touch with contemporary culture. It’s a cross-generational examination of exploitation, power dynamics and cancel culture that never fully puts its stake or any stock in a particular side of the divide. The older generation are calloused, the younger privileged, but both are selfish and manipulative of others to their own ends. It’s discomforting to sit in a film so boldly, courageously, brazenly and insensitively willing throughout to point all the fingers, yet offer none of the solutions, and resolve in a distressing close where accountability is absent. Despite its narrative inconsistency, the performances are frequently phenomenal. Julia Roberts gives one of her best performances in recent memory, filled with turmoil, and layers of veteran maturity yet youthful impulsivity. Andrew Garfield likewise commands the screen with charisma masking deep insecurity and selfish ego, and Ayo Edebiri continues to shine with moments of wit and scenes of fear, but Michael Stuhlbarg steals every scene he’s in with the most empathetic character in the film. I know many have remarked that Reznor & Ross’s score is intrusive, but I found it super effective at evoking the uneasy tone of the film, as does the use of a ticking clock which creates palpable anxiety. Overall, After the Hunt isn’t a pleasant film, but its performances deserve plenty of merit.