Saagar Kote
Directed by Luca Guadagnino, ‘After the Hunt’ is a psychological thriller film that revolves around the life of Alma Imhoff (Julia Roberts), a middle-aged professor at Yale University. She gets dragged into a complex situation when one of her students, named Margaret “Maggie” Resnick (Ayo Edebiri), accuses Alma’s colleague, Henrik “Hank” Gibson (Andrew Garfield), of assaulting her. Caught between the student and the colleague, Alma is taken on a wild ride of difficult conversations, loyalties, and intergenerational philosophical differences that push her to the limit.
Alma tries to balance her views on sensitive issues like sexual assault while also trying to deal with the reality of the current younger generation, which, according to her, seemingly gets easily triggered. In this journey, she also faces the trials and tribulations of a complex marriage with her husband, Frederik Imhoff (Michael Stuhlbarg), who is a psychiatrist. If the complex setting, multiple perspectives, and the philosophical arguments of the story impressed you, these films, similar to ‘After the Hunt,’ will keep you engaged.
10. The Crimson Rivers (2000)
‘The Crimson Rivers’ or ‘Les Rivières pourpres’ revolves around a series of deaths that occur near the Guernon University. Parisian detective Pierre Niemans (Jean Reno) investigates the brutal murder of Rémy Caillois, a professor whose body appears to be severely tortured. The town is a closed society plagued by hereditary genetic diseases. Meanwhile, Inspector Max Kerkerian (Vincent Cassel) looks into an incident of graveyard desecration.
The lives and cases of the two investigating officers converge in mysterious ways, as more murders come to light. Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz and based on the eponymous novel (French title), the French psychological thriller film is a layered narrative on crime. It resembles the world of ‘After the Hunt,’ due to its mysteries surrounding an educational institution and the people in it. Both stories deal with suspense and feature an intense visual style that makes them complementary.
9. A Simple Favor (2018)
Based on Darcey Bell’s eponymous novel, ‘A Simple Favor’ explores the intricate bond between two mothers, Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively). They connect through their children’s school, with Stephanie being middle-class and Emily married to a powerful, wealthy man. Their initially casual friendship quickly spirals into a complex narrative of secrets, deaths, and deception, turning their lives upside down. When Emily vanishes without a trace, Stephanie unearths a much more profound and elaborate network of mysteries that jeopardize her own existence. The mystery drama film helmed by Paul Feig delves into secrecy, lies, and deception in ways similar to ‘After the Hunt.’ The stories are intricately connected due to their portrayal of the female experience in chaotic moments.
8. Promising Young Woman (2020)
Directed by Emerald Fennell, the crime mystery film ‘Promising Young Woman’ revolves around the life of a woman named Cassie Thomas (Carey Mulligan), who spends her nights in clubs and bars looking to make connections with men responsible for the rape and suicide of her close friend Nina. As she explores the dark world of toxic masculinity and the feelings of justice and revenge, she is challenged by unexpected individuals and circumstances. In order to honor her dead friend’s memory, she must push beyond her limits to get to the truth. Akin to ‘After the Hunt,’ the story looks at the concept of sexual assault and the debates surrounding it. Both dramas are female-centric approaches to the issue of justice and provide unique perspectives on the same.
7. The Wife (2017)
Based on the novel of the same name by Meg Wolitzer, ‘The Wife’ chronicles the happenings in the lives of a couple who have been married for nearly four decades. Joan Castleman (Glenn Close) sacrifices her dreams for the sake of her husband Joe Castleman (Jonathan Pryce), a successful writer. She also endures his issues and his affairs in order to preserve his talent and art. However, she teaches her limit at a particular point, following which she decides to confront him. On the eve of Joe’s Nobel Prize, she plans to talk to him about the biggest sacrifice and secret of his career. The husband-wife tale in the drama film directed by Björn L. Runge reflects the complexities of the relationship as seen between Alma and Frederik in ‘After the Hunt.’ The two films also explore the idea of perspectives and how they can dictate agreement or disagreement.
6. The Invisible Man (2020)
‘The Invisible Man’ is a psychological science fiction horror film that tells the story of a woman named Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) who is plunged into a dangerous mystery. When news of her abusive former lover Adrian Griffin’s (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) suicide reaches her, she deals with complex emotions. As she looks to get over her traumatic past and build a more positive future, she starts to strangely believe that Adrian has actually managed to stay “alive” despite being declared dead.
Troubled by her own insecurities and an impending sense of doom, the protagonist must find a way to deal with her complex mind and the element of reality. On the lines of ‘After the Hunt,’ the film directed by Leigh Whannell, based on H. G. Wells’s eponymous novel, deals with the issue of “believing” or “not believing” a female victim’s perspectives on a serious issue. The experiences of Maggie in the Julia Roberts starter and Cecilia Kass are spiritually connected.
5. Elle (2016)
Based on the novel ‘Oh…’ by Philippe Djian, ‘Elle’ deals with the experiences of a businesswoman named Michèle (Isabelle Huppert) and the struggles she undergoes at a social and personal level. Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the French psychological thriller film follows the protagonist as she tries to hunt down the man who is responsible for raping her in her own residence. With the perpetrator at large and her desire to take revenge, she becomes a part of a twisted game of ups, downs, and secrets that may reveal horrifying things. The issues of justice, revenge, and the female perspective connect the narrative to the world of ‘After the Hunt’ and its complex characters.
4. Notes on a Scandal (2006)
‘Notes on a Scandal’ chronicles upon Barbara Covett (Judi Dench), a lonely and resented teacher who is nearing retirement. When Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) joins the school as the new art teacher, Barbara becomes obsessed with her. When she discovers that Sheba is having an affair with a 15-year-old student named Steven Connolly (Andrew Simpson), she sees this as a chance to manipulate her and get closer, keeping the secret from the school. Based on the eponymous novel by Zoë Heller and directed by Richard Eyre, the British psychological thriller film resembles ‘After the Hunt,’ as it takes place in academic settings and features intense conversations and debates between female characters. Both stories explore the idea of manipulation and how it affects human connections.
3. The Reader (2008)
Based on the German novel ‘Der Vorleser’ by Bernhard Schlink, ‘The Reader’ is a romantic drama film directed by Stephen Daldry, set in the rough world of post-war Germany. It follows teenager Michael Berg (David Kross), who deals with health issues, which leads to him being cared for by an older woman named Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet). However, this leads to a romantic spark between the two, after which they engage in a passionate affair. Michael confronts his new reality and also realizes that he can make a deeper connection with his lover by reading to her.
Due to changing circumstances, the woman vanishes from the young boy’s life, after which it is revealed that she is on trial for her role in the Holocaust. On the lines of ‘After the Hunt,’ it deals with the issue of the complexities surrounding sexual intimacy. Despite the different premises, the films are thematically connected due to their exploration of how young people can be emotionally manipulated by older people in positions of power.
2. Doubt (2008)
Directed by John Patrick Shanley, ‘Doubt’ follows the events surrounding a school in the Bronx in 1964. Father Brendan Flynn (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a charming priest, wants to change the strict rules kept by Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep), the school’s tough principal. The institute welcomes its first Black student, Donald Miller. When Sister James, a young nun, tells the principal that Father Flynn is perhaps getting too close to Donald, she decides to prove his misconduct and get him out of the school. Based on the stage play ‘Doubt: A Parable’ by the aforementioned director, the drama film closely resembles ‘After the Hunt,’ as it looks at complex issues within the academic setting. Both stories feature strong female characters who find themselves in a battle against societal views. The element of justice is a prevalent theme in both stories.
1. The Hunt (2012)
The Danish drama film ‘The Hunt’ or ‘Jagten’ revolves around the life of a kindergarten teacher named Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen). He is a loved member of the staff who gets along with his young students. His life changes dramatically when he finds himself in an unexpected and shocking situation. The protagonist is accused of sexual assault by one of his students, named Klara (Annika Wedderkopp), who also happens to be the daughter of one of his best friends, named Theo (Thomas Bo Larsen).
Dealing with a serious accusation and a difficult social life, the main character is pushed to the limit by the people around him. Directed by Thomas Vinterberg, the movie, akin to ‘After the Hunt,’ deals with the sensitive issue of sexual assault. In both films, a male teacher deals with similar accusations made by a student. Though the context and plot elements differ, the stories are thematically and spiritually connected due to their exploration of the complexities of the modern world, especially in the field of academics.
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