“Aftersun” (2022)

2022 was a fantastic year for movies, and when we were making our list for the best of the year, there was some discussion about what film should take the top spot; Little J had her heart set on “The Fabelmans”, and Big J was more inclined to pick “The Whale”, but all our doubts went away when on the last day of the year we saw “Aftersun”.

This movie just knocked us out; the simplicity of the story and how natural and believable the relationship of this father and daughter felt, and how, in many ways, we could see our own relationship.

Paul Mescal is incredible; it’s not only his acting and how he delivers every line but mainly how he uses the quiet moments to make us feel his pain even when he tries and hides it from his daughter, but it is Frankie Corio that ties it all together, in her debut role she gives us a performance that many actresses will probably never be able to do in their careers.

This is one of the most powerful movies we have seen in a long time, and the reason for that is how it never feels the need to shock you.

The moments of silence between them both show a hidden tension she doesn’t understand; it gives you little breadcrumbs from the start. You only start realising what is going on when it is too late, which is impacting because we begin to blame ourselves for not noticing it before, which is the reality many people go through.

The moments of silence between them both show there is a hidden tension she doesn’t understand.

We loved so many moments in this movie, but the last dance and the goodbye between the father and daughter are on another level and would probably take the top spots of the most emotional scenes we ever had to deal with in any movie.

After some short movies that we are now curious to check out, Charlotte Wells makes her debut here and announces to the world that she is a name to remember; we could see this movie doing what “Coda” did last year and take the Oscar.

A24 keeps pulling out these painful parent-kid movies, which breaks us every time.

Have you seen it? What did you think?

What 2022 movie hit you the hardest?