Afternoon Delight Turns Up the Tension
Afternoon Delight
Directed by Joey Soloway
Written by Joey Soloway
The review:
This film tricks you into thinking it’s a kind of rich-people problem, white-woman-depression film, but Soloway is so good at ratcheting up the tension that at the critical juncture I had trouble breathing as I waited for the hammer to drop.* The camera keeps its eye on Kathryn Hahn, which is a treat for the audience because Hahn’s dramatic roles are as good as her comedic ones.** Her relationship with the stripper McKenna*** drives this forward while also catching markers of wealthy moms-with-school-age-kids life.****
The verdict: Recommended
Cost: free via Hoopla, Multnomah County Library’s lesser streaming service.
Where watched: at home
Consider also watching:
Further sentences:
*It also began with a car wash scene that captured the magic I feel whenever I travel through that magical washing machine.
**Check out Private Life for drama and Bad Moms for comedy.
***I watched this movie that prominently features a stripper the same day I wrote a newsletter about how few men have to consider stripper roles when looking for work. There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to stripping as a profession, which I won’t do here, but please know that Juno Temple was the complete package when it came to her character.
****I saw aspects of this life when I worked at a charter school. It strikes me as yet another oppressive part of being a mother that no one talks about. Props also to Annie Mumolo as “Kosher Amanda” who I’ve just realized is “Barb” in Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar, thus ensuring I will prioritize this film when it appears. She also has a story credit for Joy and co-wrote Bridesmaids.
Questions:
- What do you think was Rachel’s motivation for bringing McKenna into the household?
- What do you do to shake up your life when you get stuck?
Favorite IMDB trivia item:
(Also the only IMDB trivia item)
One of Quentin Tarantino’s favorite movies from 2013, according to Variety.
Other reviews of Afternoon Delight:
- Leslie Felperin, Guardian
- Leba Hertz, San Francisco Chronicle
