Sorry, Baby ★★★★

Eva Victor’s (Billions, Boys Go to Jupiter) directorial debut, Sorry, Baby, produced by Barry Jenkins (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk), is a story of reclaiming oneself in the wake of destructive tragic events, with crucial support. The film is thoughtful and poignant, offsetting moving moments with well-crafted laughter.

Agnes Ward (Eva Victor) is a professor living alone in rural New England. The audience comes to understand Agnes’ decision to adopt such a reclusive lifestyle through the film’s non-chronological chapters. Titles like “The Year with the Questions” and “The Year with the Good Sandwich” guide viewers through moments of intense depression and anger, as well as gentler, funnier conversations between unlikely confidants.

British actress Naomie Ackie (End of the F**king World, I Wanna Dance with Somebody), who plays Agnes’ best friend Lydie, is stellar. Her chemistry with Victor is wonderful, and their infectious laughter makes moments in the film feel as if the audience has stumbled into a private moment that they have been invited to join. Lucas Hedges (Lady Bird, Manchester by the Sea) is also brilliant as Agnes’ neighbour Gavin, and John Carroll Lynch (The Founder, Fargo) is delightful as Pete. Worth mentioning is also Noochie the Cat, who takes a fantastic, and award-nominated, turn as Olga, Agnes’ adorable but picky cat.

Filmed exclusively in Massachusetts, Sorry, Baby is visually stunning. Much of the story takes place in Agnes’ “Little House”, a cottage seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Victor plays with her audiences’ understanding of film tropes, as the house transforms from cosy to ominous to optimistic throughout the film. Though Sorry, Baby rarely feels slow, it does take on a quieter, stiller tone. Lia Ouyang Rusli’s (Happyend, Dreams in Nightmares) score was pensive and curious, underscoring emotional swells whilst being well balanced with silence and the sounds of the film. The cinematography, courtesy of Mia Cioffi Henry (Cover-Up, Mitski: Washing Machine Heart), embraces static shots of the cottage, focusing on character monologues and conversations which fall into scenes.

It’s this unhurried pacing that allows Victor to approach the subject matter with care, patience and craft. Where often stories like this are played for entertainment and shock value, Sorry, Baby, is a film about quiet strength, love, and the importance of strong friendships.

Tender and moving, Sorry, Baby, is a fantastic debut, a wonderfully optimistic presentation of the resilience of the human spirit and well worth a watch.