Julia Roberts’s latest film, After the Hunt, directed by Luca Guadagnino, is a perplexing mishmash of #MeToo themes and academic stereotypes that leaves viewers scratching their heads. But here’s where it gets controversial: while the film aims to tackle serious issues, it ends up feeling more like a superficial caricature of both movements. Let’s break it down.
First, the academic setting is so over-the-top it’s hard to take seriously. Roberts plays Alma, a philosophy professor who throws extravagant parties in her multimillion-dollar mansion—a detail that screams out of touch rather than intellectual elite. Her Ivy League guests engage in cringe-worthy intellectual one-upmanship, tossing around Kierkegaard references as if they’re competing in a philosophical arms race. And then there’s the tenure subplot, which feels like a shallow attempt to add stakes to an otherwise hollow narrative. Meanwhile, Andrew Garfield’s character seems to exist solely to provide eye candy, his shirt unbuttoning progressively as if to distract from the film’s lack of substance. And this is the part most people miss: the film’s portrayal of academia is so exaggerated that it undermines its own attempts at social commentary.
The #MeToo elements fare no better. While the film tries to address power dynamics and gender inequality, it does so with such clumsiness that the message gets lost. It’s as if the filmmakers checked off a list of serious topics without bothering to explore them deeply. Here’s the bold question: Does After the Hunt genuinely contribute to the #MeToo conversation, or does it exploit these issues for the sake of appearing relevant? The answer, unfortunately, leans toward the latter.
Despite its A-list cast, the film wastes their talents on a script that feels both confused and condescending. It’s a missed opportunity to engage meaningfully with important cultural conversations. But here’s the real kicker: In trying to be everything, After the Hunt ends up being nothing—a shallow spectacle that fails to resonate on any meaningful level.
So, what do you think? Is After the Hunt a misguided attempt at social commentary, or is there something salvageable in its chaotic portrayal of academia and #MeToo? Let’s debate it in the comments—I’m all ears.
