Aftersun

Release Date - 18th November, Cert - 12,

Run-time - 1 hour 42 minutes,

Director - Charlotte Wells

A father and daughter (Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio) spend a relaxed holiday in a foreign holiday park, however, much of it plays out like a distant memory.

There’s very little that goes wrong in Aftersun, yet writer-director Charlotte Wells’ debut feature is one of the tensest films in years. For much of the 102-minute run-time I was thrown into an intense state of fear; constantly bordering on a panic attack, all as I watched a father and daughter simply spend a relaxed holiday together.

They’re spending the summer at a foreign holiday park, after it’s hinted they’ve spent time apart after Calum’s (Paul Mescal) divorce from Sophie’s (Frankie Corio) mother. Throughout this time we see their conversations as they walk along the beach, play pool, make fun of the evening entertainment and more completely innocent activities. However, Wells underpins all of this with extremely subtle hints to the more unspoken elements of their relationship.

When the two are walking at a slight distance, or Sophie is allowed to go and play pool or swim with other kids, or teenagers, around the hotel, there’s an inescapable tension that she’s somehow going to be abducted. Mescal’s performance hints that Calum may be suffering from depression, perhaps turning to alcohol. There’s genuine worry that he may kill himself, leading to further fear for what might happen to Sophie. You worry for him as much as you do her. Playing out at the same time fear and panic layer to create a truly stressful experience.

It may take some time to settle into the film with its lack of narrative, however, as it gives flashing glimpses of uncertain events, interest in the characters deepens. Shots of what appears to be Calum at a nightclub could be in the past, near future or a consistent display of what he’s doing while his daughter sleeps. Regardless, they enhance the film and the emotional responses it creates. Building up over time and coming to the fore in the final stages.

The quietness of certain scenes allows for moments of worry-inducing threat to speak louder. One particular lingering beach shot focuses just as much on the crashing waves as it does Calum in the centre. It’s here that the film leans into wrapping things up. Not being able to build up the same kind of suspense, it gets around this by tackling a sense of ambiguity and mystery. What’s going to happen when the holiday the pair have been posing as idealistic is over? What will happen to their bond once she vanishes into the airport tunnel? All of this effectively held in the background as subtle hints behind the central holiday that the naturally performed central pair are trying to enjoy. Perfectly contrasting with the images and allowing for the fear and worry to feel even stronger. While what’s presented should be peaceful and relaxed, what’s experienced is an unbelievably emotionally intense ride. Debuts don’t often come as emotionally complex as this.

Jamie Skinner -Four stars