Babes Review: Pamela Adlon’s Caustically Funny Pregnancy Comedy

Motherhood changes everything — or so they say. But for Eden, played by Ilana Glazer, this isn’t quite the case. Eden, a yoga teacher from Astoria, Queens, who’s relentlessly single and hedonistic, isn’t letting an unplanned pregnancy throw her off track. Infusing her personality into every aspect of her pregnancy, Eden’s birth plan includes helium balloons and tiaras, with a Spotify playlist of party hits ready for the delivery room. She assumes her lifelong best friend, Dawn, portrayed by Michelle Buteau, will be by her side through it all.

However, Dawn has her own hands full. A demanding career and a family already stretch her thin. Dawn’s responsibilities include a newborn whose birth sets the comic tone for the film’s opening and a three-year-old dabbling in satanism after Eden lets him watch The Omen. Dawn is so overwhelmed that Eden’s escapades only add to her stress.

The film Babes marks the directorial debut of Pamela Adlon, known for her work on the US comedy series Better Things. It offers a candid, sometimes uncomfortably funny look at the gritty realities of pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. The film delves into the often-unspoken trials of new motherhood, such as sore nipples, frazzled nerves, and bodies feeling like they’ve been through a combine harvester. This raw humor might be too much for some, but it underscores the shifting dynamics in female friendships as life paths diverge.

The film addresses with lip-smacking relish the realities of new motherhood that cinema tends to gloss over.

What sets Babes apart is the chemistry between Glazer, co-creator and star of Broad City, and Buteau, known for First Wives Club and Survival of the Thickest. Their dynamic elevates the film beyond other movies about unexpected pregnancies. There are similarities to the New Zealand comedy Baby Done and the indie favorite Obvious Child, shared in the New York setting and edgy humor. As with Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up, Babes sometimes leans on raunchiness, though it ultimately aims for something deeper.

Unlike most films, which focus on the pregnancy from the prospective parents’ perspective, often ending with the couple together, Babes quickly sidelines Claude, the father of Eden’s baby. This could be tragic, but the absurdly funny death scene diffuses the tragedy with humor. This tonal shift from comedic chaos to sly absurdity is masterfully handled by Adlon.

There’s a nod to Nora Ephron in Babes, albeit with more graphic dialogue. The film shares Ephron’s insightful look at human relationships, melding humor with heartfelt moments. While it’s edgier than Ephron’s works, it retains a warm, relatable humanism.

Not everyone will appreciate Babes. Some might find Glazer’s intense performance overwhelming and the relentless pace of dialogue exhausting. However, the film redeems itself with an unexpectedly touching conclusion, stressing the value of friendships like marriages, which require effort and commitment. And any film that takes dramatic revenge on a breast pump is sure to win some fans.

Babes is currently showing in UK and Irish cinemas.

Source: The Guardian