Luca Guadagnino is no stranger to provocative material that digs into character flaws and unearths intriguing and often entertaining inner quarrels. His latest, After the Hunt, is all that and more as it takes viewers through an Ivy League scandal that evolves into an acting masterclass.
The film follows respected professor Alma (Julia Roberts) as her serene life of teaching at Yale is interrupted by her star protoge, Maggie (Ayo Edibiri), accusing her colleague Hank (Andrew Garfield) of sexual assault. Now, Alma finds herself caught within this issue, causing secrets of her own to spill out for everyone to see.
Usually, Guadagnino keeps his direction really tight, and you feel his presence within the film’s atmosphere. But with After the Hunt, he lets these characters control the flow of the narrative and drive the friction that unfolds. The opening allows viewers to soak up these scholars’ high-class conversations to not only get a taste of their snide banter, but also get insights into the philosophies that will eventually be tested. These generational viewpoints spar in almost Shakespearean fashion, pointing fingers and poking holes in egos and ideologies. It’s a great tone-setter that immediately draws you into how these characters see themselves and the world at large. Yet, even with all the sophisticated wording and high-minded philosophy thrown around, Guadagnino and writer Nora Garrett maintain a groundedness and readability that keeps it digestible for all audiences.
Despite these characters quoting philosophers or cutting at each other in a scholarly manner, the script never goes over your head and maintains its thrilling nature incredibly well. Garrett does a great job finding a balance between preserving the philosophical atmosphere fitting for the characters while creating these inviting avenues for wider audiences to peer in. Then, Guadagnino’s own sense of intrigue creates an irresistible immersion that keeps you locked into every word and fixated on every changing emotion. It’s surprisingly riveting—especially as this assault scenario develops into a sprawling strife.
After the Hunt is an interesting mix of psychological thrills and whodunnit mysteries, as its central conflict is incredibly meaty. As Alma dissects what happened between Maggie and Hank, you quickly find your own thoughts being brought into the experience. You’re wondering who’s really telling the truth, questioning your own biases and thinking about what’s lying underneath all at the same time. It basically invites viewers to toss on their detective hats and dig into every clue or unclear aspect that presents itself.
While it’s a narrative and conflict we’ve seen play out in film and real life, there’s an exciting pull this film has that utilizes its relevancy to make a personal impact. Even better, it’s incredibly multi-layered, as Guadagnino and Garrett deliver plenty of fun tea for viewers to sip on. Whether it’s questionable intentions that surface or Alma deciphering what’s really going on in Maggie and Hank’s heads, there are plenty of ripples that form that audiences will love to ride the wave of. Not to mention, Alma herself, is brimming with secrecy and it weaves into the plot in a fascinating way that causes things to boil over.
Garrett and Guadagnino definitely give viewers a lot to chew on throughout After the Hunt, and these performances add succulent flavors to the mix. Roberts commands the screen and keeps you on your toes, always shifting the power in her court. Within every conversation, Alma keeps her own interests in mind and displays a coldness that powers chilling comebacks and “catch your breath” turns. It’s the grand return fans of Roberts hoped for, and she stands out regardless of who’s standing across from her.
Edibiri and Garfield excellently fuel things further, though. Garfield has these fiery, passionate moments that ratchet up the tension and add to the villainous persona Hank flirts with. Edibiri shows a calculated side that makes her a fitting sparring partner with Roberts. She effortlessly evokes bitter frustrations that drip into Alma’s mind, resulting in some harsh strains that intensify throughout the last act. Michael Stuhlburg’s performance as Alma’s husband Frederik might be a crowd-favorite, though, as he’s the pinnacle of passive-aggressive comedy. He’s delectably petty in the best ways possible and makes tongue in cheek remarks that’ll leave everyone snickering.
After the Hunt kind of has it all: great direction, writing, performances, and a plot that easily gets its hooks into you. However, while it’s fun to get lost in the disputes and teardowns these characters endure and get wrapped in the mysteries the film presents, After the Hunt never really makes a conclusive point. Perhaps its ambiguity is purposeful in leaving viewers in control of how they perceive things, creating food for thought for others to process. But as a movie, it becomes too consumed by spouting ideas without really creating any meaning for them. It’s satire without purpose and it’s where the film loses its hold on you. The ending scene is especially kind of a head-scratcher, since it offers no type of satisfying epilogue nor fulfilling stamp on its ideas. It’s just a random scene set years later that feels unnecessary and muddies the momentum in a way that’s lackluster.
Although After the Hunt never reaches a meaningful point and can leave a dull taste in your mouth, it is a crowd-pleasing delight from Guadagnino and company that lets its tension and social trappings do the talking. While it can lean towards “bark with no bite” territory, it’s hard not to love the performances—especially Roberts—and enjoy all the entertaining conflicts weaved throughout to create a thrill ride you can’t get off.
