Before the Freeze was an experimental psychodrama exploring anxiety, parenthood, and the dangers of escapism. Writer-director Tenley E. Raj continues the psychodrama in After the Freeze. The hour-long drama is a poetic look at a single mother, Jo (Hannah Stone), reconnecting with her high school love, Wes (Andrew O’Neill). At the same time, she tries to navigate the complexities of first love during a painful divorce from her ex-husband, Cullen (Junior Espinoza). The two estranged adults are raising a daughter, Riley (Millie Raj), together. Occasionally, Jo receives some friendship support from her friend Lily (Belle Sonnier).
Slightly experimental, After the Freeze begins with a poetry reading that later shifts into a flashback where Jo relives her first love and heartbreak. Appearing to be a stay-at-home mother with her daughter, Riley, Jo seems to struggle with depression and despair. Her ex-husband, Cullen, visits to see or take Riley out, which leads to frequent clashes with him, as he is rude and constantly ridicules her.
“…Wes and Jo exchanging text messages about their past and their desire to see each other.”
As the film unfolds, it primarily focuses on Wes and Jo exchanging text messages about their past and their desire to see each other. Jo finds keepsakes, such as a necklace Wes gave her, which brings her back to the first love she felt for him. In addition, more text exchanges occur with Jo’s friend Lily, who reads her messages with fascination but doesn’t do much beyond asking about Wes and Jo, with little follow-up. Jo and Wes seem to connect, but when the texting suddenly stops, Jo is left in a frantic state, where it appears she might be attempting suicide by jumping into a pool with a heavy stone. Only Jo resurfaces with renewed strength and tells Cullen to start treating her with respect.
After the Freeze is primarily an hour of two people texting each other, accompanied by a soundtrack that sets the mood but often feels distracting. Camera angles mostly stay in one spot or have minimal movement, and since there’s so little action besides the texting, it feels repetitive and makes the story seem insincere. Although After the Freeze addresses PTSD from a bad relationship and possibly more of Jo’s life, which is serious, it is not fully developed, and neither are the characters. However, Raj’s poetic approach is an interesting aspect of the film’s appeal.
"…Raj's poetic approach is an interesting aspect of the film's appeal."
