Charlotte Wells's feature debut, a heartbreaking portrait of a father and daughter, is an ode to memory that dotingly recalls the texture and details of a childhood holiday.

The easy pace of Wells’s direction brings out the best in her central performers, and the chemistry between Mescal and Corio plays out effortlessly. The light moments between them are warm and the darker ones linger heavily.

A subtlety—a nuanced exposition of storylines that might have easily been too simplified—that one doesn’t often find in larger films, particularly American ones...

Aftersun achieves its power through its cinematic artistry, emotional profundity and character complexity. Paul Mescal’s memorable performance is in service of a character that is a confluence of shifting impressions.