After the murder of his son, Michael Darcy (Cox) struggles with the next steps in the grieving process. Thankfully, his daughter, Annie (Beth Metcalf), is around to pull him out of the pits of despair. But, will her presence be enough to stop him from doi
“After the murder of his police officer son in the line of duty, a father, himself a veteran police detective, must choose between following the law and seeking vengeance.”
— Official Synopsis
There’s no greater basis for a short film than of a secluded conversation piece between two characters. And that is precisely what director Thomas Angeletti is able to capture with a script penned by [and starring] Timothy J. Cox. Tragedy can strike anywhere, anytime, and to anyone—even a cop’s family. After the murder of his son, Michael Darcy (Cox) struggles with the next steps in the grieving process. Thankfully, his daughter, Annie (Beth Metcalf), is around to pull him out of the pits of despair. But, will her presence be enough to stop him from doing the unthinkable? After serves as a powerful reminder to filmmakers that an extended two-shot can be just as effective as a carefully planted explosive. Cox and Metcalf are exceptionally performative, delivering the material from the page with such remorse and rage; all while the script slowly unwinds to reveal the history of the Darcy family. Though the intent of the short is to present drama in a muted, affecting fashion, After subtly outlines a thrilling depiction of losing grip on morality. All the flashy filmic techniques are scrapped for something a little bit more real (delicate even)—chalked with the density of the character’s own perspectives. Sometimes, we need to be reminded of the simplicities of art. In the most genuine way possible, the cast and crew of After reaffirm that you really only need a camera, a solid script, and two incredible performers to make something special. It’s a decisive victory for Angeletti and a showcase of force for the on-screen talent.
