Charlotte Wells, writer-director of Aftersun, has created an understated portrait of personal tragedy in this deceptively dark father-daughter team-up. Melding camcorder footage with an absurdly gifted performance from Frankie Corio, it has garnered unanimous adulation from festival audiences, helped in no small measure by the presence of Paul Mescal (Normal People).
As the father figure in this intricately constructed feature film debut, Mescal fulfills every paternal expectation, yet subtly reveals someone perpetually at the point of unraveling throughout. Captured in long takes which find himself and Corio reliving a typical package holiday circa 1990 something, Aftersun carefully documents pivotal moments between them, in an almost haphazard fashion.
