Written and directed by Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby is the story of Agnes (also Eva Victor), a New England student who lives with her best friend Lydie (Naomi Ackie) in a house in the middle of nowhere. When something bad happens to Agnes, her life is forever changed. The years that follow show how she tries to move past this horrible event.
After winning big at Sundance and hearing all the rave reviews the film has been garnering, I knew I had to check it out for myself. I went in with as little knowledge as possible and I think that only made the experience better. At the forefront it doesn’t seem like much is happening, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
While the story revolves around this traumatic experience, I appreciated the way in which it was dealt with. Agnes is assaulted by her PHD instructor Preston Decker (Louis Cancelmi). Victor could have chosen to show it, but instead she focused on a single shot of the house and measured the amount of time that passed through day and night. This still had a harrowing effect because you just know what is going on in that house. It’s a tough pill to swallow.
Agnes has a great support system of people around her who help her move forward. Lydie is the first point of contact after the event happens. Even when she eventually moves away, falls in love and has a baby, she still makes sure to check in on Agnes. Gavin (Lucas Hedges) is Agnes’s neighbor. The two strike up an unlikely friendship. He genuinely likes her and while their courtship starts off awkwardly, it is nice to see that she can open herself up to the potential of romance. Pete (John Carroll Lynch) is a kind stranger that just so happens to be in the right place at the right time. And I can’t forget Olga (Noochie), the cat that Agnes happens upon by chance and takes home. With each interaction, Agnes takes a few steps forward and then a couple back. There are many lows and a couple of highs and it’s quite impressive that Victor can mesh comedy and drama so well together, sometimes even in the very same scene.
Overall, Sorry, Baby is a triumph for Eva Victor. What she has created is a poignant and beautiful portrayal of something awful and how it’s important to keep living in spite of it all. This will surely hit close to home for anybody who has been in a similar situation. I hope that this film lets them know that they aren’t alone.
Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
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