Reviews
After the Hunt
Luca Guadagnino has cemented himself as one of the best directors working today, often handling sensitive subjects with remarkable care and translating them beautifully for audiences. Which is why it is all the more perplexing that, with his latest outing, After the Hunt, he misses the mark almost entirely.
The movie attempts to tackle cancel culture, identity politics, and the so-called female generation gap, strategically setting the story during the height of the #MeToo movement. It opens with the text “It started at Yale,” transporting the audience to an elite party hosted by philosophy professor Alma (Julia Roberts), attended by a group of devoted colleagues and students. At the centre of the storyline are fellow professor Hank (Andrew Garfield) and graduate student Maggie (Ayo Edibiri).
After enduring some nauseating and pompous dialogue from the party’s elite members, Hank and Maggie leave together, clearly intoxicated. As the trailers reveal, Maggie later discloses to Alma that Hank assaulted her. This revelation sets the three of them on a convoluted journey filled with twists and turns, as each questions the integrity of the others.
What follows is an ambiguous, pretentious, out-of-touch, and far too long “psychological drama” filled with some of the most unlikeable and smugly narcissistic characters you are likely to see all year. Nothing that happens after the initial accusations feels thoughtfully considered with victims of crimes of this nature in mind, instead focusing on all the wrong aspects.
When dealing with subject matter as raw as sexual assault, it is imperative to make the characters relatable. Whether it is Guadagnino or screenwriter Nora Garrett to blame, they have created figures who are completely insufferable, elitist, and, quite frankly, intolerable assholes to the highest degree. Next to no one will be able to relate to them in any way. It feels as though the filmmakers are entirely out of touch with the sensitivity of the source material, and by creating characters this reprehensible, no one can connect emotionally to their journey.
Again, I am not sure whether it is Guadagnino or Garrett to blame, but throughout the entire storyline, it does not feel like either of them have any empathy for victims of crimes of this nature. Numerous moments that should have been emotionally poignant are instead stupidly interrupted by a random passerby or Alma’s husband wandering in and out of the kitchen. It feels as though they are attempting to insert jarring comedic relief at a time when a victim is voicing their experience, which is truly baffling decision making.
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are undoubtedly extremely talented, having provided several fantastic scores previously. However, their soundtrack for After the Hunt is by far their weakest yet. It is completely mismatched with the material and frequently plays over moments of genuine emotion, drowning out some of the dialogue and creating an even more frustrating experience.
The one element that makes After the Hunt worth watching is the performances. Julia Roberts is sensational as the lead, with far more character development and material than in many of her recent roles. This proves to be Guadagnino’s best decision, as she rises to every single challenge thrown her way. In his limited screen time, Andrew Garfield once again steals every scene he appears in. From the marketing, you might expect him to play a much larger role, but it is no surprise that most of his scenes are featured in the trailers. He is easily the best aspect of the entire project, proving once again that he is one of the finest working actors of his generation.
Hollywood is often accused of being out of touch with everyday people, and After the Hunt does everything in its power to prove that claim. Even after having time to process what I witnessed, I still have absolutely no idea what Guadagnino and Garrett were trying to achieve, other than producing a self-indulgent mess that is a disservice to those who have suffered through something as despicable as sexual assault.
