THE STORY – Something bad happened to Agnes. But life goes on… for everyone around her, at least.
THE CAST – Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie, Lucas Hedges, John Carroll Lynch, Louis Cancelmi & Kelly McCormack
THE TEAM – Eva Victor (Director & Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 103 Minutes
Sometimes, it’s hard to move on, to the point where you don’t know how exactly to feel after a bad thing happens to you, and that’s OK. In her quietly devastating and impressive feature directorial debut “Sorry, Baby,” Eva Victor encapsulates all the emotions that come with healing following a traumatic event – the good, the bad, and the ugly. In command of the film’s ever-changing tone, Victor completely controls her craft, even as her lead character loses hers.
Through a series of chapters that span a few years, we meet Agnes (Victor), a literature professor at her alma mater, who is thrilled about the job but, at the same time, feels like it’s tainted in many ways (more on that later). She has a quiet life in the same New England home she lived in during grad school, and she’s awaiting a visit from her best friend, Lydie (an endlessly feisty and entertaining Naomi Ackie). Much has changed in Lydie – she’s living in New York City, has a different life than the one she had in school, and she’s about to have a child with her partner – while a lot has stayed the same in Agnes. There’s sadness in her eyes, and restraint like something has been taken away from her, and having Lydie around brings great comfort – especially when they visit their old grad school pals, and Agnes has a weird moment with one of them (Kelly McCormack, who is so amusing and brash).
Only when we go back in time to the year that had the bad thing do we see a different version of Agnes. In grad school, she was carefree, light, and even stood up straighter. When her charismatic professor (Louis Cancelmi) praises her brilliance and invites her over to his home to go over notes, it doesn’t take long to understand what the bad thing that happened to Agnes was. Victor showcases the encounter subtly but effectively, focusing solely on the exterior of his home; an enthusiastic Agnes goes inside, and a confused, disheveled, and lost Agnes leaves.
All the subtleties in Victor’s performance bring this character to life in such rich ways. Even if the film didn’t have chapter title cards, we’d still be able to tell it was a new year based on how she carries herself and how she responds to certain situations. When she needs a can of lighter fluid from her awkward, sweet neighbor Gavin (a lovely Lucas Hedges who needed more screen time in this film), she declines his invitation to wait inside while he searches for it, showing the lack of trust she has around men. It takes time for her to become comfortable with intimacy again, so when she announces her desires to an eager Gavin at one point, it puts a smile on your face, making you proud that she got to this point.
But don’t think for a single second this film is all dire. Victor infuses humor into nearly every situation with her dry sarcasm and witty remarks. A male doctor scolds her for showering after her assault, to which she replies she’ll keep that in mind for next time. When she tries to report the incident on campus, two female administrators say they understand because “we are women” but ultimately do nothing. It’s so impressive to see Victor balance the funny with the devastating from scene to scene, let alone sometimes within the same scene, which is an excellent representation of life itself. Sometimes, you need a bit of laughter to make it through the pain.
Unlike many other films regarding sexual assault, Victor doesn’t allow the incident to take over the story entirely. As the tagline suggests, “Something bad happened to Anges. But life goes on,” and that’s just how it goes. The film makes time to show a beautiful friendship between Agnes and Lydie, who is the kind of friend you need whenever something significant happens. She listens attentively, responds with all the right words, and is with you every step of the way. Ackie’s unapologetic approach to Lydie is terrific to watch, like when she defends her friend at the doctor’s office and knows when to hold her hand. Agnes also experiences heartfelt moments over the years, like her budding romance with Gavin, a sweet exchange she shares with a stranger (John Carroll Lynch), and an adorable kitten she picks up on the side of the road. Not all the chapters are quite as strong, but each has tender moments that make them worth watching.
“Sorry, Baby” showcases the kind of confidence a veteran filmmaker has over their characters, story, and tone, and the fact that Victor knocks it out of the park with her first film only makes us eager to see what else she has in store. Part funny, part devastating, and wholly human, it’s a film that feels so natural to life, all its wonderful, weird, messed up, and curious parts. If Victor continues to tap into stories such as this, we’re in for quite a treat.
