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Aftersun

Aftersun

Memory burns.

2022102 minRMidcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Director
Charlotte Wells
Starring
Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio, Brooklyn Toulson, Celia Rowlson-Hall

Sophie reflects on the shared joy and private melancholy of a holiday she took with her father twenty years earlier. Memories fill the gaps between camcorder footages as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the troubled man she didn't.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Aftersun?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Aftersun streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Aftersun?

Aftersun earns 10 badges, led by Top 5% of films and Universally Loved.

Show 2 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is Aftersun worth watching?

Aftersun's Midcredits score is the 96th percentile of all films, from 1.9M ratings across 6 sources. 81% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

96th percentile

Better received than 96% of films

96th percentile among Drama95th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)97th
Approval (how many liked it)91st

81 /100

97th percentile of all films

98th percentile among Drama96th percentile among 2020s

Critics 95 · Audience 79

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

81% liked it

91st percentile of all films

92nd percentile among Drama91st percentile among 2020s
81% rated it 7–1019% rated it 1–6

Critics 96% · Audience 81%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 32 wins / 56 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

99th percentile

1.9M ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Drama99th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 38% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$61K
Domestic gross$1.7M
Worldwide gross$9M

84th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slow, intimate character study of a father and daughter on a holiday, built from subtle, fragmentary memories and home-video style footage, with a deeply sad undercurrent.

Fans praised

  • Authentic, nuanced portrayal of a father's hidden depression and its impact on his daughter
  • Powerful, emotionally devastating ending that reframes the entire film
  • Miraculous naturalistic performances from Paul Mescal and especially young Frankie Corio

Detractors panned

  • Underwhelming, overhyped film with too much mundane, aimless footage
  • Excessively slow pace and cryptic storytelling that feels like too much effort for too little payoff
  • Poor sound mixing and muddled cinematography obscure crucial dialogue and detail

What stands out

Acting90

Paul Mescal's softboi vulnerability and Frankie Corio's miraculous authentic child performance; chemistry praised across camps

Sound and music85

Perfectly chosen needle drops that gain meaning on rewatch; fans call soundtrack a storytelling device

Atmosphere85

Sunbaked Turkish resort that contrasts with inner darkness; immersive and wistful

Originality80

Fresh, deeply personal debut with memory-as-puzzle structure

EndingDivisive75

Heavy, classy, haunting final sequence reframes everything; detractors find it vague and unsatisfying

CinematographyDivisive70

Grainy, home-movie style captures memory's fuzziness; some find it too dark and muddy

Plot and storyDivisive65

Deliberately ambiguous, minimal story; fans find rewarding puzzle, detractors find underdeveloped and cryptic

PacingDivisive45

Very slow, meditative; fans accept as necessary for mood, detractors call boring and padded

Preferred by

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 10 points higher than over-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is Aftersun like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Quiet and reflective: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you are in a patient, quiet mood.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings, patience and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Quiet and reflective.

Moods
BittersweetContemplativeMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 13% of films
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.
ToneThe film holds its material with deep sincerity and restraint, never undercutting the emotional weight. Quiet moments are allowed to resonate without irony.
The rideThe film sustains a gentle, reflective mood that deepens into melancholy as the weight of unresolved grief settles in the latter part.
StructureThe story is told through nonlinear fragments, intercutting Sophie's 1990s vacation with present-day introspection and dreamlike rave sequences. Adult Sophie's viewing of the camcorder footage frames the memory.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film stays with you, prompting reflection on what was unseen and the grief of missed understanding, while also leaving a gentle, sad warmth from the love shown.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 22% of films: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeAftersun is a memory-driven character study rather than a plot with a traditional archetypal shape. The narrative follows Sophie's fragmented recollection of a holiday with her father, not a quest, monster, or rebirth arc.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% (this title) · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsMemory · 3% of filmsGrief · 6% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the bond between a daughter and father through the lens of memory and the melancholy of what remains unknown after loss.
StanceThe film questions what we can truly know about those we love, especially through the distance of time and loss.

The world

Late 20th centuryIn transitWildernessDomesticRealistic
AmbientOrchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Oliver Coates
SettingA holiday resort and its surroundings, presumably in the Mediterranean or a similar tourist destination
MusicThe score blends ambient textures with subtle orchestral elements, supporting the film's reflective tone.

Content guide

Is Aftersun okay for kids?

R

Aftersun is rated R: “Rated R for some language and brief sexual material” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (3/100), sexual content at mild (33/100), language at moderate (39/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (34/100) and frightening material at moderate (46/100). Overall it is heavier than 2% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 23 other countries
  • UK12A
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland15A
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil14
  • Argentina+13
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark7
  • FinlandK-7
  • GreeceK12
  • Hong KongIIA
  • ID17+
  • LTN-13
  • MexicoB-15
  • NetherlandsAL
  • SingaporeM18
  • Spain12
  • SwedenBtl
  • THG
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 19% of all filmsHeavier than 2% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 1%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 28%
Profanity
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 12%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 30%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 29%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is frightening material, heavier than 29% of R-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Aftersun have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Aftersun?

Cast

At least 4 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Paul Mescal
as Calum
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Frankie Corio
as Sophie
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Brooklyn Toulson
as Michael
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Celia Rowlson-Hall
as Adult Sophie
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Sally Messham
as Belinda
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Spike Fearn
as Olly
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Harry Perdios
as Toby
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Kieran Burton
as Alex
Ayse Parlak
as Teen Girl 1
Sophia Lamanova
as Teen Girl 2

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Aftersun?

Movies like Aftersun include All of Us Strangers (2023), The Sense of an Ending (2017) and After Yang (2021). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about parents and children, and most are films with a non-linear timeline.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its subject: memory. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Aftersun?

3.8K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: child. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.