The After review: A sensitive depiction of a human emotion

The After is an 18-minute short film about a man dealing with grief following a tragedy. The film is streaming on Netflix.

Story

Dayo is having a nice day outside with his family when it all comes crashing down after a man goes around stabbing people and ends up killing his daughter, which inadvertently leads to his wife’s death.

An entire later, Dayo is working as a rideshare driver who spends his day listening in on other people’s conversations while not adequately dealing with his own grief.

One particular ride with a passenger who strongly reminds him of his daughter forces him to confront his grief and finally begin the long road to recovery.

Performances

David Oyelowo is the star of the short as he gets to showcase two contrasting characters in a short span of time. His portrayal of the grief-stricken Dayo is certainly effective.

Positives

Grief over the loss of a loved one is a sensitive topic and this film profoundly covers it quite impressively. The film is able to depict so much with so little and that is a great achievement.

Having Dayo drive around the wide range of passengers to show the contrast in the emotional spectrum is another clever aspect of the film. We see him sometimes react to people who are going through something similar to what he went through and is still dealing with.

Negatives

Dayo’s turnaround feels a little abrupt and that is down to the overall runtime. While it is totally conceivable that a rush of emotions can change a person’s demeanor, what Dayo experiences seems too brief and not as convincing.

Verdict

The After is a heartrending short film that certainly has a powerful message. However, it cannot be considered exceptional and is more of an art film that can be appreciated for its efforts.

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Also Read: The After summary and ending explained