Aftersun (2006 TV Movie) User Reviews

Capaldi fans will enjoy this, I did.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 10 October 2017]

Jim and Sue are a couple in their forties, they've reached a stage in their relationship where they perhaps don't talk to each other enough. Their twentieth wedding anniversary approaches, and their kids have sent them to Spain to celebrate. They encounter a young couple, Esther and Felipe, and pretty soon a number of truths come out.

This is a lot of fun to watch, they certainly packed a lot into sixty minutes. Beautifully acted, Parish and Capaldi do a fine job, the arguments are delivered brilliantly, there's some real venom in there. Anna Madeley does a fine job as Esther, she makes her wonderfully irritating. The meal and post meal argument are perhaps the best bits. I'd argue Sarah Parish perhaps steals the show.

Billed as a comedy drama, it's perhaps a little more on the serious side, but in the end it's very satisfying.

A heart warming movie

[shahrazadakbar · 8/10 · 13 June 2017]

This is one of those movies that display everyday normal life where nothing really happens, yet it's very enjoyable and relatable. So don't expect something crazy to happen in that vacation cause it won't. It's is a different kind of comedy/drama where the characters interactions lead the premise of the story instead of outside factors or events. I consider this movie to be a drama more than a comedy, yet I found myself giggling here and there.

All in all, I quite enjoyed it and found it to be heart warming.

Catch some after-sun in these Spanish climes

[slumdogGal2009 · 10/10 · 10 September 2006]

This TV drama stars Sarah (Cutting It Parish) & Scottish actor Peter Capaldi, who play long-time married couple Sue & Jim.

The basic plot is they go away on a sort of honeymoon as a surprise anniversary gift from their son Stewart. But along the way of what is supposed to be an enjoyable break away from the hustle and bustle of normal life things do get a little complicated for the pair.

Upon arriving in the holiday complex they're startled to find a young 'newly engaged' couple relaxing in their pool. But Jim and Sue then begin to get to know Spanish hunk Felipe and his "fiance" Esther.

Jim later on disappears off with Esther, and starts to open up about his life, interests and marriage. He soon divulges that Sue has been suffering from depression, and Esther unwittingly later reveals this during a friendly supper.

Meanwhile Sue is learning about Felipe and his desires - which don't seem to include Esther. (it appears she just assumed they were getting engaged).

Much later into this episode there appears to be a hostile situation brewing with Sue and Jim - especially during the time she ends up being caught in the sun and all sun burnt.

Jim, whilst in a drunken stupor one night tries to kiss Esther, who is completely taken aback, as she hadn't intended anything other than friendship or the odd flirtation. She expressed her feelings when he leaned in to kiss her, and he quickly apologised for his actions. But still being drunk he launched an attack on Felipe when he tried to protect her. Felipe's reaction was to push him into the pool - perhaps to help him sober up.

The next day things seemed a lot clearer for both couples. Jim and Sue came to the conclusion that their marriage was far to strong to split up over something so trivial (despite Sue overhearing Esther & Jim's conversation over the regrettable snog).

For Esther things were to change, after she discovered Felipe had felipe-flopped out of the their Spanish holiday home - so she was left to ponder her future. She parted with Sue & Jim on good terms and they decided to stay on a bit longer, as they were just settling in to the surroundings.

Loose ends were definitely tied for this wonderful insight into modern and old-fashioned relationships. But I'm sure if popular enough it could be made into a series.

On the basis of this review BBC1's Aftersun gets a whopping 10/10 for acting, drama and the scenic views and locations of Spain itself.

Fans of Cold Feet will love this

[drella666 · 2/10 · 22 December 2006]

If you're a fan of Cold Feet, Friends, Coupling and similar banal, unchallenging pap, you will enjoy wasting an hour you'll never get back on this anodyne, utterly predictable one-off, with Peter Capaldi, who used to be good, Sarah Parish, who I think was in that thing about hairdressers, some skinny bird in a bikini and a Spanish bloke. At one point I thought the couples were going to pair off boy-boy girl-girl, but that really would disturb the surface of the stagnant pool that is your imagination. Or maybe someone would drown in the pool, or die of food poisoning, or something. Oooh, someone smokes dope. How blimmin revolutionary.

Nothing happens, just like in your own life.

And I bet you buy your clothes from Boden and read the Daily Mail too.