The After

People are complaining about the sparce script...I personally didnt miss any words. The acting spoke volumes. David Oyelowo never misses but here he really puts in the work.

I dont give spoilers but I will say I sobbed like a baby at 1 scene in particular..it really hit home. If you have ever been effected by grief, heartbreak or loss then this short will ruin your day. Lol

If people dont get it I am glad for them as they probably have no concept of real heartbreak and the knock of effects because that IS the main premise...so good for them.

A reviewer talked about how they should have invested money into script rather than expensive locations. Id say maybe, if you needed the extra words but movies use gorilla style filming all the time to get around permits..especially in expensive locations like london.

A solid 9.

Rarely do you see directors with a command of subtle timing, pacing, and a knack for nudging a viewer instead of pushing them to conclusions.

Misan directs the After flawlessly as a debut film, with images that at first seeming fleeting but effectively lodge and imprint themselves into one's subconscious.

The film is memorable as is the lead performance. It is also impactful and heartfelt while expounding principle. As well as the horror and grief that can occur at a moments notice, the film has a lot of heart, sentiment, and strength.

There is one moment, at the inciting incident portion of the film, that didn't completely make sense to me and it raised a question as to "why?" It pulled me out of the film. The moment could be explained 100% in conversation post viewing (love of a mother, accident, disorientation, etc as the reasons to answer the question could be myriad) but more effective would have been for the ambiguity to have never arisen in the first place as it slowed down the pacing of the film and the engagement for me as a viewer. The question arising severed the in the moment connection.

If the approach was similar to the daughter in that it may have also been immediately understood, (visually speaking with no ambiguity) or if the moment had a set up prior, even if small, to hint at the mother's eventual action (or micro tendency towards such thought or action) than the processing may have been easier for me to understand (as time moves faster in an under 20 min short form than it does for a 2 hr feature. There is less time available for the director which allows for less leeway in effectively communicating to a viewer). The moment also happens fast, in and of itself, and I wonder if maybe it was just the angle it was presented in it now it was about that impeded its impact.

In hindsight, I even question if the director meant for it to be that way intentionally as it is very possible that the question of "why"? Or "what is happening here?" that Ibhad with regards to the mother is very likely one that the main character watching the event occur may have even likely had as well, himself.

Other than that, Misan exhibits a remarkable ability to walk a tight rope as he masterfully balances almost a lean towards melodrama with a stoic restraint. His timing is impeccable as just at the edge of it going too far he reigns it in with the subtlest of hand, so far as fthe shift in tones from moment to moment go.

This is most perfectly exemplified with the films ending which turns a readers questioning and pulling away in that moment (on if if was too melodramatic or not) into complete engagement and awe inspiring revelation (once I understood what was happening to the main character) as his breathing shifted.

The film pulled me in, at every turn where I had an inclination to pull away (thanks to a 24/7 news cycle/media bombardment, ista short social media world we live in where my attention span is shorter than ever and it is harder than ever for me to sit down, sit still, and focus) and because of what a phenomenal job Misan does here, I was able to be present and to be changed for the better.

Fantastic film and excited to see more from Misan. Beautiful and powerful experience here.

Despite its 16 minute length, I was left with the feeling that there needs to be more source material for this to engage. On the plus side however the acting is good and convincing - a strong show from an unheard-of cast. The depiction of Londoners as hollow, cold, insular and socially worthless husks was very close to the bone, causing my second strongest emotion while watching this to be one of validation in emigrating from the UK. The film itself is of course a vehicle to both build up to and lend weight to the finale, which is poignant and potent enough to be memorable and debatable long after the film ends. Six stars.

This short has an impact and it does it in just 20 minutes. Dayo is a grieving rideshare driver who picks up a passenger who helps him confront the past.

Not that predictable in my opinion, but it's still emotionally charged and effective.

I would have chosen a more shocking ending, I noticed the ending was somewhat abrupt It is also a reminder that you can overcome your grief with small steps, and those steps are worth taking. There are many references, loneliness and also suicide. And also how one can feel alone in one of the busiest cities in the world? Very sad, grieving alone among millions of people. The actor David Oyelowo just does a really great acting job!

I also noticed references to the use of mobile phones, I see all the clients in the taxi with one, just like at the beginning of the short, if many already have a stressful life the mobile will distract us even more. Think about one thing, we only live once on this planet, take advantage of every moment that makes you happy, because life ends quickly, one way or another.

I recommend The After without a doubt!

It's sad, pushing on dystrophic that this is an Oscar nominee. It is one of the slyest, most shameless gratuitous tear-jerkers I've ever seen. And it doesn't even do that well. It has NO INSIGHT, NO COMMENTARY, no richness of perspective (next to no perspective at all tbh), no message, no conclusion, no innovation. The acting is mediocre. The cinematography is standard TV, the dialogue even manages to feel a bit false as far as British English goes. The music is just You Tube audio library. I literally cannot find anything even slightly above mediocre in this movie. And barely anything above terrible. Thank Good it was relatively short.

Also, yeah, the subject is tragic but so is a news bulletin. If I mention the death of a child in this review, will it get a Pulitzer? No. BS.