The Best Female-Directed Movie On Metacritic Is Also The Best Father-Daughter Movie Of All Time
With a score of 95 on Metacritic, Charlotte Wells' stunning directorial debut, "Aftersun," outranks some of the best father-daughter movies of all time, including "Paper Moon," "To Kill a Mockingbird," and "Interstellar." Having the positive influence of a paternal figure can help shape how a child (regardless of gender) discovers their confidence and self-worth, but father-daughter relationships, in particular, are a special kind of bond. While this obviously does not apply to everyone, good fathers can influence how a young woman understands healthy relationships and expects to be treated by their partner. It's endearing to see films portray nurturing men who care for their daughters, listening to them not only as authoritative parents but also as friends and openly encouraging their emotional well-being.
In "Aftersun," we view Sophie's relationship with her father, Calum, through the hazy lens of her adult memories as she reflects on their Turkish holiday twenty years ago. Through home videos and her "mind camera," as she puts it, Sophie tries to grasp the reasons that her father, as inferred from the film's final shot, ended up taking his own life. Charlotte Wells encapsulates the film's nostalgic lull in a shot of a Polaroid that gradually comes into focus, turning into a photo of Sophie and her dad that will last forever, even as Sophie's memories jumble when she grows up.
Aftersun grapples with the notion of seeing your parents as actual people
"Aftersun" captures the bond between a father and daughter in a uniquely ethereal and hallucinatory way. It does not necessarily operate linearly or move directly from A to B, which makes it difficult for some audience members to articulate how they feel about the film. It's about sensations, feelings, and memory rather than a forward-moving plot. Charlotte Wells lingers on the small, intimate details of Calum and Sophie's vacation, like where he teaches her self-defense or discusses a book she's reading. The camera drifts over close-ups of their bodies as they apply suntan lotion, play pool, or giggle at their tour guide. The shots are patient and contemplative, depicting a tactile and tender relationship.
The movie also acknowledges how difficult it is to recognize our parents as flawed, complex human beings — especially if you lose them at a young age. Even though I was 31 when my dad passed away, I feel like I barely scratched the surface of truly knowing him; I can't imagine losing a father as a child like the 11-year-old Sophie. Throughout the film, Charlotte Wells delicately hints at the melancholy that lies beneath Calum's playful exterior. We catch glimpses of him sobbing alone in his room or telling a scuba instructor that he never thought he'd live to be 30, let alone 40. When Sophie describes the "sinking" feeling she often gets after an amazing day, the shot is angled so that we see Calum's worried reaction in the mirror. Will Sophie have the same depression problems as him? He puts on a happy face and insists that they are here on vacation to have a good time. The sullen weight he carries is just on the fringes of Sophie's innocent perspective as a little girl.
Aftersun tackles the pressure to be a good dad
The film also uses music to bring together the themes of love and loss. When "Under Pressure" plays at the resort's outdoor dance party, Charlotte Wells interweaves between past and present. Adult Sophie attends a rave and has a vision of Calum through the harsh, blinking strobe lights. His face twists in agony and he silently screams, reaching for her with desperation. In her imagination, Calum cracks under the pressures of being a young dad who does not make enough money and struggles for stability. He wants to be more for Sophie, but can't. On the warm summer night of their vacation, Calum bounces in slow motion, eyes closed, his face filled with joyous freedom. "This is our last dance," David Bowie croons, and it's true.
In the final scene, Calum closes the video camera once Sophie boards the plane. His smile immediately drops, and he walks down a sterile hallway into a door where the rave is pulsing, into the recesses Sophie's memories.
"That Istanbul vacation served not only as his goodbye, but as proof of how much he loved [his daughter]. He wanted Sophie to remember him as her goofy, tai-chi-practicing father, not a depressed man. He wanted to spare her his pain, and while it may not have been obvious at the time, mental illness never provides obvious answers."
"Aftersun" is the best father-daughter movie because it shows the great lengths parents will go for their children and how that love will last forever. Calum wore a mask for Sophie so she wouldn't see his darkness, instead giving her the trip of a lifetime — a memory that will never fade.