‘After This Death’ Review: Mía Maestro and Lee Pace in a Dud Follow-Up to Lucio Castro’s Transfixing ‘End of the Century’

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In 2020, Argentinian filmmaker Lucio Castro created an astonishing debut with the poignant queer romance, “End of the Century“. Instead of the sunny backdrop of Barcelona, this movie takes us to the wooded landscapes of upstate New York during autumn. The storyline is intentionally mysterious and complex, featuring a charismatic electro-psychedelic rock star with a devoted fanbase, a passionate love affair, a family crisis, a perilous hiking mishap, a car plunging off a bridge, presumed lost, and dangerous fandom turning into a real-life menace.

Although it boasts a significant title, After This Death seems to lack any substantial content or lasting interest. Contrasting with End of the Century, this latest film comes across as an analytical and detached journey that feels drawn out beyond its 96-minute duration. The screenplay makes references to Hitchcock, particularly Vertigo and Shadow of a Doubt, but the overall outcome feels more like a watered-down version of David Lynch’s work.

If you’re intrigued by the idea of seeing Lee Pace having his large feet, which he confesses have an odor, sucked, then this might appeal to you. The actor stands at 6’4″ and wears a size 12 shoe, so it’s quite a substantial amount of toe area.

In this band led by Elliott, who handles vocals and exhibits more sinuous hand movements than Stevie Nicks, is Elliott’s brother Ronnie (Philip Ettinger). One day, Elliott encounters Isabel, a heavily pregnant Argentinian voiceover actress, during a break on a hiking trail in a cave. She finds him harmless due to his laid-back new age vibe and chuckles slightly when he displays a prehistoric painting of a hunchback with a pearl button in the cave. However, I couldn’t discern any connection this image has to the rest of the movie.

One time, my music journalist buddy Alice (played by Gwendoline Christie in a rather insignificant role) pulls me to a concert against my will. There, amidst a sea of captivated fans, I witness Elliott performing his rock star magic – crooning enigmatic lyrics over hypnotic synths, with a dash of expressive choreography. To her credit, Alice didn’t heap undeserved compliments on him backstage. He confided that Ronnie was the genius behind the band: “He’s the smart one. I’m the eye candy.

After showcasing his abilities in the parking lot, Isabel shows interest. Later, she confesses to him that her husband, Ted (Rupert Friend), is currently out of town, inviting him over to their home. This is when the toe-sucking incident occurs. They then have passionate sex, as one might expect. Their encounters take place first at Isabel’s residence and later at a cabin rented by Elliott and Ronnie for a year, which they filled with recording equipment while working on an album. Isabel defends her infidelity by stating that Ted frequently travels and she believes he is unfaithful as well.

Elliott openly expresses his attraction towards Isabel’s pregnancy and even creates a playlist for their unborn child. Remarkably, the behavior of this rock star doesn’t unsettle Isabel in any way. However, he gradually distances himself without providing an explanation. And it is following this period that numerous unfortunate events occur.

After Elliott disappears, Isabel experiences cryptic messages from him followed by sad and difficult times with Ted. This is compounded by a surge of hostility online from fans who accuse Isabel of canceling performances and delaying the release of the band’s highly anticipated 11th album. It’s when these devoted fans, known as TPYS (The People You See), begin targeting her that Isabel’s life becomes chaotic.

In “After This Death,” the performances and filmmaking techniques are strong, with a versatile score by Roberto Lombardo and Yegang Yoo that incorporates everything from solemn pipes to hypnotic synthesizer melodies to gentle piano tunes. However, events unfold in the movie without building significant narrative depth or coherence, even though there are occasional hints provided through the band’s songs.

The speculation floating around online about whether Elliott and Ronnie are truly siblings, or perhaps more than that as lovers, is simply another half-baked theory that quickly loses steam and fades away.

As a devoted admirer, it strikes me that Isabel’s persistent grief over her mother’s passing at seventeen might hold some weight in the narrative unfolding here. It could very well be one of the motivating factors propelling her towards the recording studio in the cabin, where she finds solace and inspiration in emulating Kate Bush. This creative pursuit seems to suggest that Isabel is reclaiming her life and forging a new future – an interpretation that feels more plausible than many other possibilities within this enigmatic narrative haze.

Intriguingly, one might wonder how such an underground band, with their repetitive tunes and ostentatiously poetic lyrics, amassed a fanbase substantial enough to produce ten albums? However, it should be noted that Rupert Friend delivers an impressive portrayal of Liam Neeson in the film “Taken,” which could arguably be the most gratifying aspect of his performance.

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2025-02-20 00:25