Director Charlotte Wells' feature film debut really floored me. There is a sense of danger in the air throughout the entire runtime, so you always have the feeling of an impending catastrophe. This ensures that the very leisurely pace of the story never causes boredom. At its core, "Aftersun" is about a young woman who remembers a summer vacation she spent with her father when she was eleven. And it's obvious that she has something to process. The memories themselves are very warm and happy. But at the same time, they are shot with such an intangible sense of sadness that you don't even know what to feel anymore.

The film is carried by the two fantastic lead actors, Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio. They have great chemistry with each other and are both very good at conveying their feelings with few words. The look of the film is also impressive. Wells uses camcorder footage in a few places, giving it the feel of a vacation video mixed with memories. Furthermore, everything appears to be very authentic. Both the main characters' relationship and the hotel and other hotel guests feel real. I am sure that some viewers will look differently at their own childhood vacations after watching the movie. Last but not least, I have to praise the choice of music. It plays an important role in two places, and especially the song at the end is a real eye-opener.

I will certainly watch "Aftersun" many more times. For me, it is clearly one of the best and most emotional movies of 2022.