The right casting saves a film that is missing something. This is how I feel after watch The After. The cameo performances in the taxi which represent life going on for everyone else - the minutiae of life - except for the central bereaved character, are good performances. David Oyelowo is never bad. It's the sparse script, and the direction (It feels like I can see the director standing there thinking about shots and discussing them with the DOP) that is not strong. I love the great locations - it costs a lot of money to film in these locations - maybe invest in the narrative more? It's not a bad film it's just puzzling why it's feted or on Netflix - I have been fortunate to see many short films in film festivals and on TV - this small film is ok, but it's not a great film.
