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After The Hunt has been criticised, it seems, for it not being what some people want it to be. That may be inevitable; preference and expectation is a part of any criticism, but I’m not sure it’s fair. For good or for bad Luca Guadagnino has once again made precisely the film he wanted to and it needs to looked at through this lens. On the surface After The Hunt is a #metoo movie, with an analysis of cancel culture and enabling complicity. It doesn’t have a strong message though; it isn’t Bombshell or Promising Young Woman and it isn’t trying to be. Neither is it Tár or May December where the motivations of abusers come under the spotlight. I can see why audiences want movies like this to take a position, to condemn, to highlight injustice or to tear apart toxicity, and personally I think I also favour all those films that do. I can still admire something with different intentions though, and I appreciated the focus, artistry and performances on show in this one.

As suggested above, I have always not felt so positive about all of Guadagnino’s work. I thought Challengers was superb and I loved Call Me By Your Name just as much as everyone else but Suspiria and Bones & All had an unpleasantness to them I couldn’t get on with. This one sits alongside A Bigger Splash somewhere a little up from the middle. It isn’t always a comfortable watch but it has an honesty to it that is compelling. 

When I say honesty, I mean in relation to the artistry rather than the narrative. After The Hunt tells of events around a student who accuses one of her professors at Yale of serious sexual assault. It never quite comes down on one side or the other but raises serious questions about the conduct of both without victim blaming or explicit condemnation. (Andrew Garfield’s alleged perpetrator is an undeniable sleaze though.) Rather than sitting on the fence, it presents everything with a level of affectation. I think this is another thing that has turned people off it but the very last word spoken, before the screen drops to black and the credits roll, seems to declare it is openly artificial, nay artifice, and it owns this.

The main focus of the story is actually Julia Roberts’ Alma, colleague to one party and tutor to the other. By following her it is more worried about the impact incidents like this have on those on the periphery. It considers the importance of individual reactions and actions, responses and fallout and these are worth examining. Alma has interesting relationships with both that add to the drama as well. That drama comes close to spiralling into melodrama towards the end but steps back and shows skilled measure and restraint where it needs to.

Coincidentally the play Inter Alia, which just closed at The National Theatre and opens in The West End in March (and has a few screenings in cinemas before that) deals with similar issues. It too examines ideas of believing women, self interest, rationalisation, poisonous behaviours and reputational damage. Written by Suzie Miller it has much more power than this and should be seen if at all possible. After The Hunt has different perspectives; the title itself brings up ideas of witch hunts and pack mentality, but is still a fascinating meditation on the topic. It sits alongside a whole range of related works, mentioned here or otherwise, many of which land with greater impact and rectitude, but this is a valuable companion piece that is also worth your time.