After

A haunting and powerful psychological thriller. Set in icy upstate New York in the winter of 2002, "After" is about the Valentinos, a middle class clan facing financial hardship--their family stone cutting business is slowly failing--and coping with the usual rivalries and resentments that affect all but their absent daughter, Samantha, who has recently escaped Rochester for a new life in lower Manhattan. At their center is matriarch Nora (Quinlan), whose cheerful exterior masks an emotional fragility of which the entire family is painfully aware and fiercely protective. But, their delicate balance is threatened by a carefully concealed secret that, once revealed, will change their lives forever.

Directed by Pieter Gaspersz, After leans on a strong ensemble — Kathleen Quinlan, John Doman, Pablo Schreiber — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about mystery titles of 2014.