If After The Hunt Isn’t a Me Too Movie, What Is It?

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Luca Guadagnino’s film, *After the Hunt*, is largely set in 2019, a time when the #MeToo movement was still fresh in Hollywood and discussions about ‘cancel culture’ were heating up. The story unfolds on a college campus – Yale University – portraying students as passionate and idealistic, and professors as exhausted and eager to go home. Despite dealing with these significant issues, the director and actors have intentionally avoided framing the film *as* being *about* them. Interviews with stars Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri often touch on the ethics of power and culture, though sometimes in roundabout ways. When directly asked if the film addressed #MeToo, Guadagnino told *Variety* that labeling it as such was “lazy” and “outdated.”

I’ve been following the buzz around Guadagnino’s new film, and it’s been… complicated. There was a bit of a mixed reaction at Venice, with some even calling it anti-feminist, which honestly, feels like a pretty broad brushstroke. Guadagnino himself made a great point to *Variety*: just *watch* the movie! He’s right, you know? *After the Hunt* (which opens in New York tonight) is genuinely enjoyable. It’s a really sensual film, visually rich, and the score and costumes are fantastic. You get swept up in the world – these beautiful apartments, dive bars, even this amazing little Indian restaurant they keep going to. But after a while, you realize the film isn’t really *about* big ideas; it’s about the characters and their conversations, and how *they* feel. It’s more interested in *who* is talking than *what* they’re saying.

In the film, Julia Roberts plays Alma, who finds herself caught in the middle of a serious situation, but it’s not a simple case of someone being ‘canceled’ or facing accusations related to the #MeToo movement. Instead, she’s unintentionally at the heart of accusations between Hank and Maggie, who both claim the other has done something wrong. The movie doesn’t try to prove anyone’s innocence; it suggests everyone is flawed in some way. What’s truly compelling is how each character deals with their guilt. Hank reacts dramatically, Maggie becomes increasingly isolated and erratic – wanting both to reveal what happened and avoid attention – and Alma struggles with deciding who to believe or support, partly because she’s experienced similar situations before.

As the movie builds tension and explores the complex connections between its three main characters, it becomes evident that the story is fundamentally about how they cope with pain and feelings of being let down. The final part of the film focuses on Alma’s personal growth-her journey to understand herself, her place in the university, and what she believes in. Alma tries to convince Maggie to keep quiet about her assault, but Maggie decides to publicly reveal Alma’s lack of support. These two women, despite their different backgrounds and values, end up clashing with each other more than with any of the male characters. Both are capable of hurting the other, but the director allows them to freely continue escalating their conflict. They are both wounded and witness each other’s pain, but they have very different ideas about how to heal.

The film *After the Hunt* delves into the emotional fallout after a scandal, exploring how someone rebuilds their life and relationships amidst the damage. It avoids being preachy or overtly feminist, recognizing that people often abandon ideals when they’re scared and uncomfortable. The main character, Alma, is complex – she’s distant, irritable, and protective of herself. Most people find it hard to connect with her, with the possible exception of her therapist, Kim. Alma has worked tirelessly in academia with little recognition, and this has made her cynical and closed off. She sees vulnerability as weakness, and the resulting stress is overwhelming. As the actress explained, portraying Alma meant resisting the urge to show sympathy, because the character wasn’t someone who *wanted* to be comforted.

What makes *After the Hunt* so enjoyable to watch, even with its difficult and unsettling relationships, is that it avoids becoming preachy or taking sides. No one in the film emerges as a hero; everyone is simply focused on surviving. The movie culminates in a reunion between Alma and Maggie, where they finally have a genuine conversation – about their own lives, their partners, and whether they’re truly happy. They stop arguing about ideas and start seeing each other as real people, with all their imperfections. It’s almost a relief when Alma and Maggie admit they no longer have romantic feelings for each other. Surprisingly, this honesty brings them a sense of freedom and even a smile, after a film where they’ve both carried so much guilt.

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2025-09-26 16:54