Film Shapes

Aftersun is a fitting title for this top-notch drama set in a coastal resort in Turkey in the late 90s. Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio play father and daughter, Calum and Sophie - it later becomes evident that Calum is separated from Sophie's mother. The title suits because this holiday is potentially the last moment to be cherished between Sophie and Calum, the sun that all following events are compared to. It may also be giving a nod to all the evening scenes, the film certainly eschews the bright and shiny cliches of holiday resorts. There's a fantastic chemistry between Mescal and Corio. Mescal's portrayal of a seemingly stable bloke dealing with mental health issues is wonderfully understated. There's really only one openly emotional burst, the rest he conveys with stares, downcast eyes and Tai Chi. Corio, on debut, is superb as Sophie, a girl calmly grappling with the onset of puberty. Her interactions with older kids at the resort feel spot on and writer/director...