Sundance 2022: After Yang Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Sundance Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

On its surface, After Yang focuses on a family’s journey to come to terms with the loss of their household robot who was purchased to be an older sibling for their daughter. As each member experiences this loss in a different manner, the film seeks to lean into the individual forms of grief and understanding as its main source of currency throughout, but further below this overarching narrative is a film that attempts to ground its foundation in this established emotional connection that doesn’t completely succeed in its effort of imparting those same feelings onto its audience.

This takes time to truly notice as After Yang begins with one of the single greatest opening credits to a film involving a worldwide family dance competition that appears dangerously close to becoming a reality on a cable channel in the next Fall premiere window. Ultimately, after little real-time interaction is spent with Yang (Min), there lies a hindrance to fully form an emotional investment in any of the characters afterwards. Because of this decision, all of the integral life moments that each member experiences are shown through relived footage or the retelling of memories that do not land as well as they should have. And yet, the film is relying on these for its audience to entirely comprehend its messaging and subtext.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that After Yang is an unsuccessful film. It still presents certain aspects of loss and grief through unique storytelling resembling tangible and heart-warming experiences that many, when faced with the loss of family, could understand. This is perhaps, the film’s greatest strength, but it remains bittersweet as the majority of this comes in its final third. Still, the beauty of remembering a loved one’s life and the possibility of learning more about them through others is intriguing and something the film manages to do fairly well.

At times, the sentimental narrative of After Yang can fully shine, creating an interesting story complete with equally engaging characters. However, despite its best accomplishments, there is seemingly a more complete film just out of reach that contains a better connection with its audience. In the end, all is overlooked for its opening credits alone.

*still courtesy of Sundance

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