Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
When his young daughter's beloved companion — an android named Yang — malfunctions, Jake searches for a way to repair him. In the process, Jake discovers the life that has been passing in front of him, reconnecting with his wife and daughter across a distance he didn't know was there.
After Yang is a quietly meditative science fiction film that distinguishes itself through Kogonada's distinctively contemplative visual style — languid, precise compositions that evoke both intimacy and alienation. The cinematography is genuinely exceptional, with soft, muted palettes and deliberate framing that perfectly externalize the film's themes of memory and presence. Its novelty is high: the film carves out a singular space in sci-fi, closer to Tarkovsky than Black Mirror, using its android premise as a philosophical lens on grief, identity, and what it means to truly witness another person's life. The plot, while thematically rich, is deliberately underpowered as narrative — it's more meditation than story, which will frustrate viewers expecting conventional drama. Acting is measured and restrained, with Colin Farrell delivering a quietly effective performance, though the ensemble rarely transcends the film's cool emotional register. The ending is tonally consistent but somewhat inconclusive, leaving emotional threads unresolved in ways that feel intentional but not fully earned.