It began in my early 20s. Deciding who my favorite director was. Anticipating the question to come along throughout the rest of my life. I chose Woody Allen. And committed. Like a loyal sports fan never to waver. And I never have. Never will.
In the context of modern cinema I’d almost forgotten about Woody Allen. Accepted that we won’t see another film from him for the rest of our lives. That is until earlier this evening. After the Hunt (2025, Luca Guadagnino) doesn’t directly address the subject of either the life of nor the films of Woody Allen. Yet their presence underlies its subject matter.
Set amongst the faculty and students of an Ivy League campus—it happened at Yale—wealthy people in affluent spaces adorned with intellectual dialogue After the Hunt opens with the unmistakable condensed Windsor typeface opening credits that Allen used for all of his films. But more importantly I see the film as an allegory of the #metoo witch hunt via a power struggle between that angry little mob of culture police it created and yeah the films of Woody Allen.
Needless to say as a reminder the journalist credited for exposing Weinstein and starting the #metoo movement is Yale alumnus Ronan Farrow or uh Woody Allen’s son. Oh and as a bonus capper Amazon is distributing this as in the same Amazon that canceled Allen amidst a four picture deal they had with him during the height of #metoo.
Okay but seriously about the film itself. I feel like MAGGIE (Ayo Edebiri) is meant to get under our skin. And she’s perfect. Her youthful vibrancy. Her excruciating youthfulness. Her nervous awkward stubbornly accusatory shallow ambitious entitled setting of traps to persecute and ridicule culture writ large for her own confused haphazard meaningless agenda. The way we see through her phony impulsive convictions is to know the fear of the threat of its authenticity its power while being baited to also at the same time indulge our contempt of the vitriol which it bestows in kind. It’s cyclical. Mutually aggressive.
ALMA (Julia Roberts) represents the films of the artist of the man of the idea of Woody Allen. I’m going to avoid spoilers. But I don’t really care to bother with this reading anyway because I doubt anyone will agree with me about it. But I can say After the Hunt digs into the topic of a person’s privacy and the conflicting standards within society attempting to morally judge aspects of compromising behaviors that not only are unable to have a clear resolution but also aren’t necessarily anyone else’s business; much less society as a whole; much less a matter for strangers to decide upon. But of course they do. And what of those affected most by this?
I’m talking about themes in the film. What do I care about society’s morals? Like it matters. Like I give a shit. But in a dark theater yes I feel like that angry little mob are mocked for our own—or some of us—to deride as entertainment. Should I be ashamed or afraid to admit that? Because I am. Although in my own defense I feel like myself including everything I live for stand for if I can’t laugh at it. At them. Or at me. Something’s wrong. But think about how in After the Hunt direct reverses are used.
10/15/2025 AMC Phipps Plaza 14
Atlanta, GA
Set amongst the faculty and students of an Ivy League campus—it happened at Yale—wealthy people in affluent spaces adorned with intellectual dialogue After the Hunt opens with the unmistakable condensed Windsor typeface opening credits that Allen used for all of his films. But more importantly I see the film as an allegory of the #metoo witch hunt via a power struggle between that angry little mob of culture police it created and yeah the films of Woody Allen.
Needless to say as a reminder the journalist credited for exposing Weinstein and starting the #metoo movement is Yale alumnus Ronan Farrow or uh Woody Allen’s son. Oh and as a bonus capper Amazon is distributing this as in the same Amazon that canceled Allen amidst a four picture deal they had with him during the height of #metoo.
Okay but seriously about the film itself. I feel like MAGGIE (Ayo Edebiri) is meant to get under our skin. And she’s perfect. Her youthful vibrancy. Her excruciating youthfulness. Her nervous awkward stubbornly accusatory shallow ambitious entitled setting of traps to persecute and ridicule culture writ large for her own confused haphazard meaningless agenda. The way we see through her phony impulsive convictions is to know the fear of the threat of its authenticity its power while being baited to also at the same time indulge our contempt of the vitriol which it bestows in kind. It’s cyclical. Mutually aggressive.
ALMA (Julia Roberts) represents the films of the artist of the man of the idea of Woody Allen. I’m going to avoid spoilers. But I don’t really care to bother with this reading anyway because I doubt anyone will agree with me about it. But I can say After the Hunt digs into the topic of a person’s privacy and the conflicting standards within society attempting to morally judge aspects of compromising behaviors that not only are unable to have a clear resolution but also aren’t necessarily anyone else’s business; much less society as a whole; much less a matter for strangers to decide upon. But of course they do. And what of those affected most by this?
I’m talking about themes in the film. What do I care about society’s morals? Like it matters. Like I give a shit. But in a dark theater yes I feel like that angry little mob are mocked for our own—or some of us—to deride as entertainment. Should I be ashamed or afraid to admit that? Because I am. Although in my own defense I feel like myself including everything I live for stand for if I can’t laugh at it. At them. Or at me. Something’s wrong. But think about how in After the Hunt direct reverses are used.
10/15/2025 AMC Phipps Plaza 14
Atlanta, GA
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