How Much Older Calum Is Than Sophie In Aftersun

Summary

Calum’s young age as a father shapes his dynamic with Sophie, adding layers of complexity and emotion to their bond.
Aftersun delicately explores heavy themes like depression and love through the lens of young Sophie’s memory of a vacation with her father.
The small age gap between Calum and Sophie in the movie is crucial, as it reflects a mirror image of their relationship and its tragic end.

In Aftersun, the age gap between Calum and Sophie is a significant feature of their father-daughter relationship. Directed by Charlotte Wells in her feature debut, the movie follows the childhood memory of Sophie (Frankie Corio) on holiday with her single father, Calum (Paul Mescal), at a Turkish resort. Recently separated from his wife, Calum is using this vacation as an opportunity to bond with his daughter. He is a young father without much experience or maturity, but he is clearly trying his best. Mescal’s performance earned him a nomination for Best Actor at the 2023 Oscars.

Aftersun is a powerful movie that explores heavy themes like depression, love, and guilt, all through the lens of a young girl’s memory. With a whopping 96% Rotten Tomatoes score, the movie has received immense critical acclaim for its sensitive, restrained storytelling and nuanced performances. It imbues a sense of melancholy underneath the seemingly mundane features of a vacation, with hints that young Sophie is largely oblivious to, but most viewers will pick up on. A central aspect of their dynamic is how much older Calum is than Sophie, which profoundly affects the nature of their relationship.

10 Best Vacation Movies To Watch Like Aftersun

Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun shares similarities with other emotional vacation movies, including Call Me By Your Name and The Lost Daughter.

Calum Is Only 19 Years Older Than His Daughter Sophie In Aftersun

In The Movie, He Is Just 30, While She’s 11

In Aftersun, Calum is only 19 years older than his daughter, Sophie. This means he had her when he was still a teenager, and, in the events of the movie, he is only 30, while she’s 11. This dynamic renders him a young, inexperienced father who doesn’t have the maturity or skills for the role yet. He feels quite lost and confused as a father, though he clearly loves his daughter deeply and wants to connect with her. The small age gap also gives Calum and Sophie a friendly relationship, as they enjoy themselves through whimsical activities on vacation.

Why Calum & Sophie’s Ages Are So Important In Aftersun

She’s Currently The Same Age As He Was During Their Trip Together

Calum and Sophie’s ages are extremely important in Aftersun, not just because of his lack of experience and maturity as a father. The film follows 30-year-old Sophie reflecting on the vacation with her father, because she’s currently the same age that Calum was at the time. The Aftersun ending suggests that Calum died by suicide following the trip: he is clearly depressed and struggling with his mental health. In one scene, he admits his surprise at making it to 30 and expresses a lack of belief that he will make it to 40.

The movie is thus a rendition of her memories, visualized through home videos of the trip that she’s watching in the present day.

Despite being on a vacation with his daughter, Calum experiences little joy, and seems indifferent and detached throughout Aftersun. However, the extent of this is obviously lost on young Sophie at the time. The movie is thus a rendition of her memories, visualized through home videos of the trip that she’s watching in the present day. She is presumably looking for answers to explain her father’s subsequent suicide, trying to see signs that she couldn’t when she was 11, hoping to finally understand him now that they’re the same age.