After The Hunt

2025 Amazon MGM Studios

Rated: R

Length: 2 hr 18min

Drama ~ Psychological Thriller

Starring: Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny.

Not everything is supposed to make you comfortable.

FROM AMAZON PRIME:

AFTER THE HUNT is a gripping pychological thriller about a college professor (Julia Roberts) who finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when a star student (Ayo Edebiri) levels an accusation against one of her colleagues (Andrew Garfield), and a dark secret from her own past threatens to come into the light.

“A Gripping Psychological Thriller…..”

I would hardly call it gripping, borderline boring, and definitely not thrilling. More of a “where is all this leading?” quandary as you watch and wonder. The very beginning of the movie starts out with the very loud ticking of a clock. So loud it was immediately annoying, and I had to pause the movie to make sure it wasn’t something else I was hearing. It wasn’t, it was in the movie soundtrack. It was odd because they didn’t even show a clock, I kept waiting for one. It seemed to last forever until it finally abated, only to show up obnoxiously halfway through the movie, just as loud. The only thing I can assume is that it was meant for dramatic effect, apparently to add a heightened sense of tension. Which, as far as I can tell, failed in it’s mission because it seemed to have no relation to the film or the storyline.

The Characters:

In the beginning, as we meet the characters in the movie, Alma (Julia Roberts) and her husband Frederik (Michael Stuhlbarg) are throwing a dinner party at their lavish house. Alma, Maggie (Ayo Edebiri) and Hank (Andrew Garfield) are engaged in a very philosophical debate about the current state of man and education. It came across as very contrived philosophy forced onto actors playing the part. Hank and Alma are both up for tenure at Yale, and Maggie is Alma’s brightest student. Hank and Alma were also lovers in the past, as we find out later in the movie, which is part of the supposed tension and drama. It didn’t really come across that way, although there was some solid chemistry between Julia and Andrew. Hubbie Frederik came across as a bit of a weirdo, it was hard to imagine that Julia and Michael were a married couple, more like The Odd Couple.

The Actors:

We all love Julia Roberts, hopefully. As I watched her I couldn’t help but compare her in this to some of her other roles like Pretty Woman, Ocean’s Eleven, The Pelican Brief, and one of my all time favorite movies, Erin Brokovich. I don’t think this role was right for her, although she did a fine job with it. I think that had more to do with the directing and the story itself. Andrew Garfield is a Streaming Movie Night Favorite: Hacksaw Ridge, We Live In Time, Spider Man….Andrew is a charismatic, lovable Character Actor. He does some fine dramatic acting in this movie, but again, some of it fell flat thanks to the directing. Ayo Edebiri as Maggie came across as contrived, clunky in her motions and scenes. People don’t act like that, pun intended, but again I think it was the script, story or the directing.

The Less Than Thrilling Drama:

I didn’t set out to bash this movie, although as I look at what I have written, it sure feels that way. There were scenes that really didn’t make sense to me, for example:

- Maggie rooting through the bathroom linen closest looking for toilet paper, ransacking the entire closet all the way to the bottom shelf. Then leaning over and in far enough to find the envelope Alma had taped to the underside of the shelf, to hide it from the world. Then opening it and taking something from inside it……
- Frederik getting upset at the dinner table with Maggie for no apparent reason, then turning into a complete ass, grabbing his plate and storming off. Then playing music at such a loud obnoxious volume…for what? That was not clear to me.
- Alma stealing blank prescriptions from her friend Dr. Sayers office and then forging a prescription for pain meds while she is trying to walk the straight and narrow line to a Tenure position at Yale. Doesn’t make sense.

I feel like I need to stop the bashing, again, that is not what I intended when I started writing this, but that is what I feel like I am doing. My expectations were high given the star power of Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield. But for me, it didn’t deliver. They were great but the movie itself felt disjointed, and as a whole, contrived and over dramatized. Somewhere about an hour and a half into it I thought, “How long has it been, how long is this movie?” I was a little dismayed when I saw I still had a ways to go.

The hook at the end, the secret that Alma was hiding, the thing that Maggie discovered about Alma and tried to use against her, was anti-climatic. I think it was supposed to pull it all together but it just kind of fell flat. It was disappointing, I found myself thinking, “That’s it? That’s what I waded almost two and a half hours through…….for that?”

So while it features some great acting by Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield, the direction and story felt like they missed the mark. In hindsight I do see what it could have been, a better movie…a great movie. But for me, it didn’t get there. I wouldn’t waste almost two and a half hours on After The Hunt again.

We Live In Time

Ballad Of A Small Player

2025 Netflix

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 41min

Drama ~ Psychological Thriller

Directed by: Edward Berger

Starring: Colin Farrell, Fala Chen, Deanie Ip, Alex Jennings, and Tilda Swinton.

Every gamble is more than just a game.

Lord Doyle (Colin Farrell) is a troubled British gambler trying to escape his past and mounting debts in the opulent casinos of Macau. Doyle’s world is defined by risk and uncertainty, and his fortunes shift with every card he plays. Amidst the neon glow, he strikes up an unlikely connection with Dao Ming (Fala Chen), a casino worker who offers him both sympathy and subtle guidance. Their relationship brings moments of genuine warmth, even as Doyle struggles to find meaning and redemption in his turbulent lifestyle.

As Doyle’s luck teeters between boom and bust, the story delves into themes of chance and consequence. The arrival of Cynthia Blithe (Tilda Swinton), a private investigator from England, complicates his desperate bid for freedom. Cynthia challenges Doyle to confront uncomfortable truths about his past, and their interactions provide both tension and unexpected compassion. Macau itself becomes a vibrant character in the film, contrasting glitzy casino life with the darker realities lurking beneath.

The film explores Doyle’s evolving relationships and the emotional costs of living on the edge. Dao Ming (Fala Chen) acts as a confidant and a compass, while Cynthia (Tilda Swinton) exposes Doyle’s vulnerability and forces him to reconsider his choices. Each encounter pushes Doyle closer to facing the consequences of his actions, making his journey through Macau both suspenseful and introspective.

Colin Farrell delivers an engaging and nuanced portrayal of a flawed, desperate gambler, while Fala Chen and Tilda Swinton add depth and intrigue to the story. The film’s stylish depiction of Macau’s casino world, combined with its blend of dark humor and emotional depth, creates a unique cinematic experience. Though it’s not a traditional thriller or straightforward drama, its haunting mood and layered storytelling make it a captivating watch. Ballad Of A Small Player and Colin Farrell invite us into a world of risk, regret, and the search for redemption.

Drop

2025 Universal Pictures

Rated: PG-13

Length: 1 hr 35min

Drama ~ Mystery ~ Psychological Thriller

Directed by: Christopher Landon

Starring: Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, and Jeffery Self.

Everyone’s A Suspect.

Meghann Fahy stars as Violet. In the opening scene we see Violet being physically beaten and abused by her mentally distraught husband in front of their young son Toby. He has a gun and threatens to kill Violet, then turns to their son and threatens to kill him. He then hands the gun to Violet and tells her to go ahead and shoot him. You see her hand on the gun and her finger tighten on the trigger……then blackness and silence. Fast forward and the widowed Therapist Violet is having a video appointment with one of her abuse victim patients over her laptop in her house. Her sister Jen (Violett Beane) arrives to watch Toby after convincing her sister Violet that it was time to get back into the dating game. Violet has agreed to go on a date with Henry (Brandon Sklenar), a charming Chicago City Photographer, at an upscale downtown high-rise restaurant. Violet is nervous but hopeful as she waits for Henry, interacting with the restaurant’s lively staff and fellow diners, while the city’s night pulses beneath them.

Instead of a normal date night however, Violet’s evening quickly turns into a psychological nightmare. She begins receiving unsettling messages and memes via a phone app called “DigiDrop”, messages that escalate in menace and reveal that someone is watching her every move. The situation becomes much darker when she checks her home security cameras and sees a masked intruder inside her house, threatening the lives of her son and sister. The anonymous tormentor insists Violet follow a series of increasingly dangerous instructions, making it clear that any attempt to ask for help will result in immediate harm to her family. Trapped in the restaurant and under constant surveillance, Violet is forced into a tense game of cat and mouse. The tormentor’s demands become more sinister, culminating in an order for Violet to kill Henry by poisoning him, linking the mystery to sensitive information Henry possesses in his camera, evidence that could expose corruption at the Mayor’s office. As Violet struggles to outwit her faceless adversary and protect her loved ones, she must make impossible choices, all while maintaining a façade before the unsuspecting patrons and staff around her.

Drop is a Rom-Com Psychological thriller that begins in classic romantic comedy territory: Violet, a widowed mother, sets out on her first date in years with Henry, a charming photographer she met online. Their initial interactions are awkward, sweet, and filled with the kind of banter and flirtation typical of a rom com, there’s hope, nerves, and the possibility of new love. This is punctuated by funny moments, such as interruptions from an overly eager waiter and playful exchanges that give the date a light-hearted sheen. But “Drop” is equally a psychological thriller, and these romantic-comedy tropes quickly unravel when Violet starts receiving menacing “drops” on her phone, chilling memes and instructions that threaten her family and force her into a frantic game of psychological survival. The tension mounts as Violet must navigate this nightmare while maintaining the appearance of a normal romantic dinner. The constant surveillance, tech-enabled threats, and Violet’s trauma-filled backstory intertwine suspense with the drama of relationship building. This blend of romance, comedy, and nail-biting mind games creates a unique atmosphere, making Drop a riveting nail-biting experience watching Violet balance love, danger, and her fight for control.

Drop was based on an actual AirDrop experience that Platinum Dunes producer Cameron Fuller and his friend, actor Sam Lerner, had while on vacation. Their phones blew up with anonymous, increasingly threatening drop messages that stopped, giving them no information about who or why they were targeted. Screenwriters Jillian Jacobs and Christopher Roach turned their experience into a worst-case scenario version for Drop.

Absolutely riveting and funny. I thought Meghann and Brandon did a great job in this great Rom-Com Thriller. You should definitely watch this. Give it a go.