'After The Hunt' Review, Julia Roberts Shines In Campus Drama But Story Falters Under Its Ambitions

After the Hunt, Luca Guadagnino’s latest cinematic project, has stirred a lot of conversation since its debut and not just for its star studded cast. With themes surrounding academia, gender politics, power dynamics, and sexual assault, the film positions itself as a bold and timely commentary on contemporary world. But the audience has been sharply divided: some have praised its intellectual ambition, while others have criticised its narrative and emotional detachment. However, one thing is certain- it’s a film that demands attention from its audience, even when it frustrates them. 

Cast and crew of After the Hunt

Directed by Luca Guadagnino, who is known for projects like Call Me by Your Name and Challengers, After the Hunt premiered at the Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2025, and is set to release theatrically on October 10, 2025. It features a powerhouse cast led by Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny in prominent roles. The screenplay is written by first-time writer, Nora Garrett, while the background score is composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The film is distributed by Amazon and MGM and runs for 2 hours and 18 minutes.

Plot of After the Hunt

After the Hunt is set within the elite walls of Yale University’s philosophy department. The story centres around Professor ‘Alma Imhoff’ played by Julia Roberts, whose professional and personal worlds are disrupted after a sexual assault accusation against her colleague and close friend, ‘Hank Gibson’ (Andrew Garfield) is made by a student. The accuser is ‘Maggie’ (Ayo Edebiri), a star doctoral student who is mentored by ‘Alma’. What begins as an investigation into a potential sexual violation soon turns into a tangled web of ambition, betrayal, and hidden trauma.

After the Hunt is an intellectually dense but emotionally distant drama

At its core, After the Hunt attempts to be many things; it dips its toes in the water to be a campus thriller, a character study, and a social critique all at the same time. Luca Guadagnino, known for his sensual visual storytelling, takes a surprising detour for this film. He trades the lush, immersive tones of Call Me by Your Name or Challengers for a colder, more grim aesthetic. The result is a film that’s visually composed yet emotionally rigid, and lacks a grounded storytelling.

Julia Roberts steals the show in After the Hunt 

Julia Roberts is undeniably the best part of After the Hunt. As ‘Alma’, she delivers a great performance. She plays a woman whose intellect shields her deep emotional fractures with great precision. Her performance is layered, often chilling, and easily the film’s strongest element. She commands attention in nearly every frame she is in, and critics might argue that this performance could take her on the path to another Oscar nomination.

After the Hunt script is ambitious but lacks clarity

Julia’s brilliance alone was not able to save the film. Nora Garrett’s debut script is ambitious, loaded with philosophical jargon, gender politics, and dense academic exchanges, but all of this often comes at the expense of clarity in the narration. Moments that should have landed as emotionally rich scenes are clouded by complicated dialogue and underdeveloped motivations. Viewers are left piecing together plot threads that feel more confusing than mysterious.

The supporting cast for After the Hunt is impressive, but the narration lets them down

Ayo Edebiri brings intensity to ‘Maggie’, though her character suffers from narrative overcomplication. She is portrayed both as a symbol of youthful idealism and a possible manipulator, without a clear resolution to any of these roles. Andrew Garfield’s ‘Hank’ has an erratic presence but his motives are never clear. Meanwhile, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny, despite their acting talents, are reduced to quirky side characters and are heavily underused.

The film’s refusal to provide easy answers is impressive in theory, but in practice, it does not work. Key plot developments including, ‘Alma’s’ mysterious illness, a questionable plagiarism charge, and the film’s five-year-later epilogue were introduced with dramatic flair but left hanging in ambiguity. For some, that ambiguity might feel like bold, sophisticated filmmaking, but for others, it may feel pretentious at best.

Final verdict on After the Hunt

After the Hunt is a bold, dialogue-heavy drama that explores serious topics with a mysterious tone. It’s not made to please everyone and doesn’t even try to. Julia Roberts gives one of her strongest performances in years, but the film often feels heavy and complicated rather than meaningful. Luca Guadagnino has created a thought-provoking story, but whether it truly connects with its audience is debatable.

What are your thoughts on After the Hunt?

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