After All Movie Review (2025)
A family drama exploring the lasting effects of generational trauma, long-buried secrets, and mental illness across multiple generations, After All is a thoughtful slow-burn that ultimately delivers a rich story with emotionally honest performances.
I have loved Penelope Ann Miller since I first met her in Adventures In Babysitting in 1987. As Chris’ best friend who has her own kind of adventure at the train station, she settled in my mind as one of my best childhood friends, and I’ve enjoyed watching the things she’s done. Carlito’s Way, The Freshman, The Artist – she’s developed a diverse catalog, so I was intrigued to see that she was starring in this new film.
After All is about three generations of women all dealing with their own trauma. Verna Sharpe is raising her granddaughter, Haley, after Verna’s daughter, Ellen, left her there to deal with her own issues. Ellen is now an irresponsible alcoholic who is estranged from her teenage daughter and contacts her mother only for money. When Verna has a health emergency, Ellen is called to help take care of her mother and is forced to face the demons in the house she grew up in.
This is a slow-burning film that didn’t grab me right at the start. It took a little bit of time to adjust to this specific nonlinear storytelling, and that may happen for you as well.
After All has all the hallmarks of an indie film, so the plot feels simple, and the visual choices are sometimes different from what you’re used to seeing, but it is really all about the characters – and everything does start to come together.
Starring Penelope Ann Miller, Erika Christensen, and Kiara Muhammad as grandmother, mother, and daughter respectively, the majority of the film falls on these three sets of shoulders. Both Miller and Christensen are very good and share a poignant scene in which I was especially taken with their performances, but it is Kiara Muhammad that really stood out for me. The authenticity and the pain that she is able to exhibit is exquisite. I didn’t recall seeing her in anything before, so finding out that she is the voice of Doc McStuffins is a little bit of a kick.
This movie is an intimate portrayal of generational trauma, family secrets, and mental illness. It resonated heavily with me, as my grandmother and great-grandmother’s generations had far fewer choices, but it’s hard not to ask the burning questions. Why would you stay with someone abusive to you or your children? Couldn’t you have asked for help or did you need to keep it a secret and why? Is it forgivable, and are the coping mechanisms future generations use to dull the pain understandable, a problem, or both? How does the cycle end?
After All is an understated film that very slowly blossoms into something quietly affecting and heartfelt. I wanted to enjoy this movie, but I had a tough time finding a way in at first. Don’t let it detour you if you have the same experience. Give it a little time. You’ll see the forest for the trees.
Runtime: 104 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: Not Rated (I would say PG-13)
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3/5 Stars
Available: Free for Amazon Prime members, on Tubi or YouTube, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
