AFTER THE HUNT
Starring: Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, Ayo Edebiri, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny
Director: Luca Guadagnino
QUENTIN
I’ve been underwhelmed by Luca Guadagnino’s films thus far, but After the Hunt, though imperfect, is easily my favorite work of his. As the battle on political correctness and performative wokeness rages on, Guadagnino captivatingly explores modern-day snowflake syndrome and the cultural divide between Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. As a result, this is a film that may trigger you or make you feel seen, or both; the ability to effectively elicit such divisive yet accurate opinions, even within oneself, is evidence of a master filmmaker. The excellent performances he pulls from the perfectly cast ensemble is icing on the cake.
PAIGE
Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt raises interesting ideas but fumbles its narrative since it doesn’t dive deep enough into any of its themes. As the film goes on, it begins to drag because it’s not clear what it wants to say. The performances are great across the board, especially Julia Roberts, who delivers some of her best work in a long time; however, due to the film’s ambiguity and messy approach, it's hard to care about any of the characters. It's honestly a shame the script is as sloppy as it is because with stronger writing, this could have been a powerful, thought-provoking film.
ADRIANO
It's with a heavy heart that I say director Luca Guadagnino struck out with After the Hunt. His direction is interesting, but the overwritten script is a problem. On one hand, there's something there about Gen X being as sensitive as the young folks they criticize. However, while wanting to have its cake and eat it too, it doesn't find effective criticism for Gen Z beyond "they're annoying.” It proudly proclaims it wants to make you uncomfortable, but ultimately muddies the waters too much, especially while handling serious subject matter. Despite excellent performances, After the Hunt is a misfire.
This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2025 Zurich Film Festival.