A movie called “After the Hunt” suggests there's some kind of pursuit happening, either literal or figurative. But after seeing Luca Guadagnino’s newest film, it wasn't clear what exactly was being sought—most likely, a plot. The narrative is so dense, overly intellectualized, and unfocused, with numerous wandering and disconnected storylines, that it's difficult to understand what the director and screenwriter Nora Garrett were trying to achieve. The story mainly revolves around Alma Imhoff (Julia Roberts), a Yale University philosophy professor who’s hoping for tenure when she learns of an alleged sexual misconduct accusation made by one of her graduate students, Maggie (Ayo Edibiri), against a close colleague, Hank (Andrew Garfield). She finds herself in the middle of this situation, which puts considerable strain on her loyalties and could affect her chances of getting that coveted position. As Alma tries to sort through her feelings about these events, she also confronts aspects of her own personality that she’s long suppressed, discoveries that reveal a despicable nature hidden beneath the surface—a trait as pronounced in both Maggie and Hank. On top of this, there are story threads involving a mysterious health problem, a dark secret from Alma's past, and her constantly changing relationship with her husband, Frederik (Michael Stuhlbarg), who is noticeably and inexplicably flamboyant and a therapist to boot. This results in a large amount of material crammed into a movie that desperately needs some direction. Because the story unfolds within an academic setting—a philosophy department—the film includes numerous lengthy scholarly discussions which mostly feel like pretentious intellectual exercises. While some of the exchanges between generations are sharply witty and insightful, they’re too infrequent compared to the many overly dramatic dialogues that dominate a screenplay that seems to take itself far too seriously. The performances are commendable, particularly those of Garfield and Edibiri, although Roberts's highly praised performance doesn't quite live up to some of her previous work, in my view. Moreover, the film is occasionally hindered by unusual camera angles and an original score and soundtrack that frequently intrude on scenes, drawing attention away from what’s happening. “After the Hunt” feels like a copy of one of Woody Allen’s dramatic films—even mimicking his signature credits style—but lacking the eloquence and relevance found in those movies. I'll admit that Guadagnino isn’t among my favorite filmmakers, but with this pretentious cinematic mess featuring wholly unlikable characters, he seems to have reached a low point in his career. So, I suggest you look for something better to watch instead.

Source on TMDB