AFTER THE HUNT at New York Film Festival
by Danny Mendes
Luca Guadagnino returns after 2024’s one-two combo of Challengers and Queer with After the Hunt. Julia Roberts stars as Alma Imhoff, a professor at Yale University who is faced with a moral dilemma when her star student Maggie (Ayo Edibiri) accuses Alma’s colleague Hank (Andrew Garfield) of assault. Worried about the professional and personal repercussions that this accusation might have, Alma must decide whether to side with her student or to remain neutral. After the Hunt has no shortage of talent, both in front of and behind the camera. Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield are mesmerizing onscreen, and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross deliver yet another solid score for Guadagnino. The film’s biggest fault is that it tries to tackle various themes without ever having anything substantial to say about any of them.
Much like Roberts’ character, After the Hunt can oftentimes feel abrasive and aloof. Set at Yale University among philosophy professors, the dialogue is sharp and deals with high concepts of morality and truth. Despite this, the film never feels tedious because the performances are top-tier. Julia Roberts is perfectly in sync with her character and delivers one of her best performances of recent memory. The film is at its most exciting when Roberts gets to act alongside Andrew Garfield and Michael Stuhlbarg, who plays Alma’s husband Frederik. The chemistry between these three actors is what makes the film truly work. There’s a strong sexual chemistry between Roberts and Garfield that underlies every scene they’re in together. Sometimes, you may not fully grasp what exactly they’re talking about, but it works so well because you’re captivated by their onscreen charisma and chemistry.
Malik Hassan Sayeed’s cinematography is also noteworthy and deserves praise. The cinematography feels very much indebted to David Fincher’s work from The Social Network onward. The way Guadagnino stages sequences aids in building a sense of immersion. The film doesn’t shy away from the use of close-ups, which give us insight into what the characters are thinking and feeling when dialogue is not enough.
The film presents more questions than it does answers, and this is where most audiences will either appreciate or dislike about the film. The film is predominantly about the “Me Too” movement and whether we should believe the victims or look at the facts with a measure of skepticism. As the film goes through its runtime, you’ll find your opinions on characters change from one scene to the next. The film never shows us what actually happened on the night in question because that’s not its main ambition.
After the Hunt is a rare mid-budget adult drama that you don’t often see in the theater anymore. It carries a bevy of talking points and topics that are never given satisfactory conclusions, but will leave you with ideas to dissect and ruminate on long after it’s ended. It’s certainly not Guadagnino’s best movie, but it’s still rewarding for those looking for a challenging experience.
Originally published at http://behindtherabbitproductions.wordpress.com on October 6, 2025.
