The Afterlight

I saw this film when it premiered here in NYC. It is a really beautifully constructed film, full of quiet moments and perfectly framed shots. The cinematography is meticulous. Performances by the actors are generally very good, but the two highlights for me were the great Rip Torn in a small role, and the little girl who brought some greatly energetic moments to this quiet film. If you like, for instance, Terrance Malik's introspective work, you will see some of his influence in this film and in these first time filmmakers. I am really looking forward to seeing more of their work, and I recommend checking this film out if you can.

The Afterlight, a deeply resonant film, harks back to a pre-modern Romantic tradition. It is an ode to nature and its mysterious expressive powers that stand in for the stunted emotional lives of the characters. At the center of the film is a parable told by the character played by Rip Torn, full of portent but which is never explained at any point in the film. Only later do you realize therein lies the virtue of the film: the mysterious will remain mysterious. You will enjoy the experience of watching the vibrating, shimmering surface of the world - things, leaves, clouds, the mewing of cows, the aftermath of an eclipse; they stay with you for a while.

The Afterlight rewards its viewers with a thoughtful, in-depth portrait of a couple unraveling. Sometimes running away from the city for the safety of upstate countryside isn't always the best call -- and Andrew (an always wonderful Mike Kelly) and Claire (Jicky Schnee) unfortunately figure that out the hard way.

Minimalist performances by Rip Torn and Ana Asensio alone make this film worth viewing.

Co-directors Macneill and Kaleina should be commended for their restraint. Hiring Mother Nature as their production designer was a smart call, focusing on the rusty calm of small town living. Punctuated with moments of quiet tension, one could almost view The Afterlight as what The Shining would've been like if it had been directed by Terrence Malick.

Kaleina and Macneill are an excellent duo. The beautiful cinematography reflects the melancholic and often haunting nature of a couple, who, seemingly stranded in a small town (for want of a better life) and left to contend with the psychology of their waning relationship are brought to a very resonant climax that culminates with all the anxieties and desires that have challenged their relationship, in coincidence with an eclipse.

Andrew and Claire expect their getaway to upend the torment of their former life, but they instead find the stagnating and uncommunicative characters of the rural northwest distances them even further. Left in a torrent of indecision and desperation, the two seek solace by mingling with the local inhabitants only to find more disconnect from the blind neighbor (Asensio), whose tears are painstakingly real, and a little girl whose antics are precious until her innocence is shattered by her own curiosities.

There is a naked feeling to the whole piece, like a stripped orchestra, leaving us with the lost and lonely sentiments of a humanity that can no longer live in harmony no matter how far they try to venture from their indiscretions.

I look forward to seeing more from Kaleina and Macneill.