The quote attributed to Julia Roberts—”Guadagnino’s film makes you discuss? It’s a good”—appears to be a slightly garbled or translated reference to her recent comments on Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming psychological thriller After the Hunt. Based on reports from the 82nd Venice Film Festival press conference on August 29, 2025, Roberts praised the film’s ability to provoke meaningful conversations, especially amid questions about its handling of #MeToo themes, sexual assault accusations, and cancel culture. The phrasing “makes you discuss” aligns closely with her emphasis on sparking debate, and “It’s a good” likely completes as “It’s a good thing” or similar, emphasizing the positive value of such discourse.
Context of the Quote
During the press conference for After the Hunt, which premiered out of competition at Venice, Roberts addressed concerns that the film might be “politically incorrect” or undermine feminist progress by reviving “old arguments” about believing accusers in sexual assault cases. She pushed back lightheartedly, stating: “I don’t know about controversy, but we are challenging people to have conversations and be excited by that or infuriated by that. It’s up to you if you drink martinis or lemonade after the movie.” In another response, she elaborated on society’s “losing the art of conversation,” adding: “If making this movie does anything, getting everybody to talk to each other is the most exciting thing that I think we could accomplish.”
This sentiment—that Guadagnino’s film “makes you discuss” topics like truth, power dynamics, and personal secrets—is framed positively as a strength, not a flaw. Roberts quipped about the early-morning “softball questions,” showing her characteristic wit while defending the project’s intent to portray complex human moments without overt statements. Co-star Andrew Garfield echoed this by discussing the nature of truth as subjective, drawing from philosopher Carl Jung: “If we don’t make the unconscious conscious, things will happen in our lives and we will call it fate.”
About After the Hunt
Directed by Luca Guadagnino (known for Call Me by Your Name, Suspiria, and Challengers), After the Hunt is a tense drama set in Yale’s philosophy department. Julia Roberts stars as Alma Imhoff, a tenured professor navigating a crisis when her star student, Maggie (Ayo Edebiri), accuses colleague Hank (Andrew Garfield) of assault. As the accusation unravels professional alliances, Alma’s own hidden past emerges, forcing confrontations about loyalty, truth, and institutional hypocrisy.
The screenplay by Nora Garrett (in her writing debut) features sharp, brittle dialogue that captures academic backbiting and moral ambiguity. Cinematography by Malik Hassan Sayeed gives it a somber, documentary-like gravitas, while Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross provide the score. The ensemble includes Michael Stuhlbarg, Chloë Sevigny (as a wry therapist), and others. Critics have mixed reactions: some praise Roberts’ commanding, emotionally guarded performance and the film’s intrigue, while others find it overly opaque and frustrating, comparing it to a “muddled Tár.”
Produced by Imagine Entertainment and Frenesy Film, it’s an Amazon MGM Studios release set for October 10, 2025. Guadagnino, a Venice regular, described the film as exploring “the clash of truths” and how “even the lies of people tell the truth,” reflecting global tensions.
Why This Quote Matters
Roberts’ remarks highlight After the Hunt‘s relevance in 2025’s cultural landscape, where discussions on accountability and nuance post-#MeToo remain charged. By framing the film as a catalyst for dialogue—”makes you discuss”—she positions it as a “good” artistic endeavor that prioritizes human complexity over didacticism. This echoes her past roles in thought-provoking films like Erin Brockovich (2000), where she tackled injustice, but here it’s more introspective. Roberts also likened the movie’s style to Robert Duvall’s Tender Mercies (1983), calling it a “magical” observation of life’s raw moments without judgment.
If this isn’t the exact quote you meant or if it’s from a different context (e.g., a non-English interview), it could stem from translation variances in international coverage. Roberts has a history of quotable lines from films like Pretty Woman (“I had a really good time”), but this recent statement fits the prompt best. For more, the film premieres soon—expect it to fuel exactly the discussions Roberts champions.