MovieChat Forums > Aftersun (2022) Discussion > My Take

My Take

posted a year ago by jgm4661 (82)
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I agree w all of the posts and thoughts here. Just some other ideas and theories of what will happen to him in hopes of making this a sweeter rather than a sadder ending. (warning spoilers) Honestly it was a delight just watching them have fun at the resort w the cheesy entertainment the gorgeous weather and idyllic background almost making a movie unto itself.

There are lots of references to his behavior and struggling condition already. A few to add I noted were his proclivity for the club lifestyle namely drinking, dancing, drug use and smoking featured prominently throughout.

He warns her of the harms of smoking knowing he is still under the addictive influence as he sneaks cigarettes at times. He tells her some drug use is ok if she wants to try it and admits he has done everything. His clock seems to be set to party hours as one scene shows he is still awake at 3:09 and they do a lot of sleeping during the day by the pool and on buses.

He admits to himself he is lucky to have made it to 30 and can't seem himself at 40. He can’t explain how he broke his wrist and what happened to his shoulder so drinking to passing out seems to be a regular event.

The karaoke scene is kind of pivotal. He refuses to join her then as a concession offers singing lessons. In here resent she says to ‘stop it’ as he knows he can’t ‘afford it’. Then he goes out and gets passed out drunk.

I think he was crying after because he realizes he can’t be setting a good example for her and his being jobless, other pressures and mood won’t even allow doing some karaoke even for the benefit of his daughter.

In some of the last strobing sequences adult Sophie appears to be yelling at him to stop (his clubbing behavior).

The end of the movie has him walking down a long corridor and into a room with the recurring strobing lights again. That was the metaphor I went with, that his clubbing was the end of his life. He did offer to help her with any questions on drugs or boys earlier so it appears he wants and plans to be there for her in the future. So my more hopeful theory is he lost his life to his vices from perhaps lung cancer or a heart condition or accident versus suicide a little later in life.

[–] DaveBowman2001 (517) 8 days ago

I kinda hated this movie. I'm surprised to see so much praise. I found Calum annoying, a loser, and totally unsympathetic. I understand depression and loss, but I just didn't relate to this guy at all and didn't find this movie moving at all. Watching him dance was cringy and he strikes me as the type of guy I'd completely want to avoid getting anywhere near at a club, the resort, etc if he had been drinking. I was interested in the premise of the film, but expected it to be more investigatory and trying to piece together the past, solving some mystery by his ex or daughter. That part was left mostly untouched and rather subtle, which is fine, but I didn't feel anything. Didn't see him as a loss if he killed himself, sadly. It would have benefited from more scenes of his ex wife and adult daughter. It was trying to be too stylish at the end, which might have worked for a character I had any care for. The whole "under pressure" thing didn't do it for me. Great song, but clubber guys like this dude...sigh. The vacation looked boring too.

This movie seemed hyped up by 2nd rate youtube movie reviewers who all threw in the same buzzword like they had a paid assignment to sell this movie and what points to hit with headlines like "this movie broke me" "I'm completely gutted", "what a beautiful masterpiece". Meh. I went into it blind. Only read reviews after to see what others thought. FWIW, I love slow burn movies and don't need everything spelled out. Maybe with a better, more sympathetic character it would have been better (like A River runs through it..self destructive, but at least charismatic). I just wanted him to get on with it and end it and roll the credits.