Two teens are shown kissing passionately. A young character shares their first kiss with someone of the same age. Two strangers are also seen kissing. A character's naked behind is briefly shown.
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Set on a holiday resort, people are shown drinking beer and wine. Teens are seen doing shots. A child tries a sip of their parent's beer. The same parent talks about drugs with their child, hoping to create a safe space for them to have a dialogue about it as they get older. People are seen smoking cigarettes and shisha. One character picks up a lit cigarette from the ground after someone drops it on the floor.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
Characters order specific drinks such as Coca-Cola and Fanta.
Positive Messages
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The importance of managing trauma and grief and allowing memories, both good and bad, to help shape who we are today.
Positive Role Models
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Calum is a good father. He is flawed, damaged, and suffering from depression, but he cares for his daughter, Sophie. He makes mistakes, such as neglecting her one night, leaving her to fend for herself in a foreign country. But on this occasion he's not himself. Sophie is both independent, pensive, and curious. She tries to live a full life, finding some kind of peace and understanding about what happened to her as a child.
Diverse Representations
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The film only really has two characters of note, a father and a daughter. They're both White, and holidaying in Turkey so many supporting characters are of Middle Eastern descent, and we get a sense for the culture they are living within. Mental health issues in men are explored. A character is gay, which is not a plot-point, just presented as a matter-of-fact.
Parents need to know that Aftersun is a slow-burning but brilliantly moving drama that focuses on mental health in men -- with themes around suicide -- and a daughter dealing with a difficult past. Sophie is independent as a child (Frankie Corio), and reflective as an adult (Celia Rowlson-Hall). Her father, Calum (Paul Mescal), is a good father, but he is a flawed one. He makes mistakes, such as leaving her locked out of the room one night on their holiday in Turkey. Turkish culture is explored in an affectionate way, from the blissful perspective of tourists. People are shown smoking shisha and cigarettes. Characters also drink alcohol, with teens drinking to excess. Even a child tries a sip of beer. Drugs and alcohol are discussed, fleetingly, between Calum and Sophie as he hopes to create an open dialogue and safe space for her as she gets older. There is kissing and a male character's bare behind is seen in one scene. "F--k" is heard on occasion, as is "arse." To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
A beautiful movie suitable for older kids, but likely will bore them
I recommend you see this movie without reading about it first. That way you can make your own interpretation of the scenes.
But if you must know about if it's suitable for children, I'd say that it is. The girl in the movie is 11 years old, and I'd say that's a fair age that one could show this movie to children. The R rating from the MPA is not warranted here.
There is occasional use of the f-word and one sexual reference, but unless your child knows what it means, it won't register.
The movie is very quiet and slow, really so whether it will keep a child's attention is questionable. If you have a very serious child, it could work though.
A very good representation of how we see our parents as children. Left me with lots of questions, but I soon realized that was the point.
What's the Story?
AFTERSUNfollows Calum (Paul Mescal) and his daughter Sophie (Frankie Corio) as they take a holiday to Turkey, a trip that will live with the latter forever. Twenty years later, on her birthday, Sophie finds footage causing her to reflect and ponder on the experiences she had that shaped her, for better or for worse.
This profoundly emotional dramais one of the most assured, confident debut productions from a first-time filmmaker you're likely to see. From Aftersun's very opening frame, Charlotte Wells knows exactly the story she is telling, and has complete power over the narrative. With this control, she takes the viewer on a quite staggeringly moving journey. It's a voyage through time and memories, studying how we reflect and remember times past to try and reconcile where we are now, and those we have loved (and lost).
The film delivers emphatically on two counts, as you connect in equal measure to both Calum, a 30-something father and Sophie, a 10-year-old girl. Calum shows the complexities of the human mind and the challenges that come with it. While Sophie's journey is one of nostalgic, hazy childhood memories. Fueling that nostalgia is a superb soundtrack. But what helps illuminate this production are the two central performances. Mescal is as good as he's ever been, and the young Corio is a revelation as Sophie. This isn't just one of the best films of the year, it's one of the best films in years.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how depression is portrayed in Aftersun. Did you find it unusual to see mental health issues in men addressed like this? Why, or why not? What are your own experiences when it comes to mental health?
Discuss the relationship between Calum and Sophie. Did it seem like a healthy father-daughter relationship? Why, or why not?
The movie is about looking back on the past. How do you feel when you look back at certain events from your life?
Talk about the strong language used in the movie. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
How did the film depict drinking and smoking? Were they glamorized? Did the characters need to do these things to look cool? What were the consequences?
MPAA explanation:
some language and brief sexual material
Last updated:
August 30, 2024
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Stefan Pape
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