‘Sorry, Baby’: Sundance Review

Dir/scr: Eva Victor. US. 2024. 103mins 

“One thing fairly unhealthy occurred to me,” admits the principle character of Sorry, Child, a fragile comedy-drama that examines how a non-public trauma haunts a younger girl lengthy after it occurred. Author-director Eva Victor’s very good function debut jumbles its chronology, presenting fragments of various years within the lifetime of a twenty-something tutorial, the reminiscence of that horrible occasion revisiting her in waves. Delicately segueing from deadpan humour to delicate poignancy, Sorry, Child is guided by the filmmaker’s swish lead efficiency, which captures the guilt, anger and disappointment of a lady who as soon as seemingly had a shiny future — till, immediately, every part modified.

Guided by the filmmaker’s swish lead efficiency

Screening in Sundance’s US Dramatic Competitors, the movie ought to be a prize pickup for a specialty distributor, even when the subject material is likely to be triggering to some viewers. On-line and social-media comedian Victor is a comparatively new face for moviegoers, so industrial prospects will not be sturdy. However robust evaluations — to not point out the presence of Oscar winner Barry Jenkins as one in all Sorry, Child’s producers — ought to assist drive discerning viewers to theatres. 

Informed in 5 chapters, the movie really begins with one in all its later chronological installments. Small-town English trainer Agnes (Victor) is thrilled when her greatest good friend Lydie (Naomi Ackie), who not too long ago moved to New York, arrives for a go to. Newly married with a child on the best way, Lydie is anxious as she recognises the telltale indicators of Agnes’ crippling nervousness. Sternly, Lydie implores Agnes, “Don’t die,” though Agnes tries to snigger off her good friend’s worries. Agnes insists she gained’t kill herself — in any case, she explains, she’s doing significantly better than she was just a few years in the past.

The following chapter, a flashback to when Agnes and Lydie had been in graduate college, explains a lot of what was left intriguingly opaque within the earlier section. The much less one is aware of going into Sorry, Child the higher, however we are going to uncover that the reason for Agnes’ future misery stems from a fateful encounter along with her admiring advisor Preston (Louis Cancelmi), who believes she’s a rare author. Lydie, nonetheless, teases Agnes that the good-looking, divorced Preston is desirous about extra than simply her thoughts.

Sorry, Child’s dry sense of humour initially conceals the ache Agnes carries all through a lot of the movie. Victor performs Agnes as somebody whose default manner is ironic or awkward, virtually as if she walks via life out of step with the world round her. However within the grad-school section, we discover a barely completely different Agnes, one who remains to be insecure but additionally a bit extra outgoing. Then, after a run-in with Preston, which the writer-director handles with restraint, Agnes modifications, and the following chapters supply glimpses into how she has (or hasn’t) coped with the stunning incident. It’s an excellent efficiency stuffed with quietly humorous moments that give voice to how trauma isn’t one thing one merely ’will get over’ — certainly, the journey will be lengthy and unpredictable. Even Agnes’ hesitation to inform others about what occurred exhibits an perception into the complexity of such grief.

The movie by no means succumbs to mawkishness or treats Agnes as a woeful sufferer. Though Sorry, Child takes Agnes’ ache significantly, Victor typically makes bitterly hilarious observations about society’s discomfort in displaying empathy towards ladies who’re coping with private struggling. (A go to to Agnes’ callous male physician is particularly biting.) If the filmmaker may often be faulted for jokes that don’t land — an excruciatingly annoying colleague (Kelly McCormack) is the image’s uncommon sitcom-y ingredient — the tonal management is in any other case spectacular.

Composer Lia Ouyang Rusli’s poignant piano rating accentuates the sense of Agnes as a shiny however damaged soul, and the supporting performances are typically beautiful. Lucas Hedges performs Agnes’ charming, equally awkward neighbour who turns into her rare intercourse companion, however Ackie deserves particular kudos as Lydie, the kind of unwaveringly supportive good friend any of us could be fortunate to have. It’s in her troubled silences as she observes Agnes that we perceive the depths of what has been taken from Agnes, regardless of her outwardly sardonic, quick-witted method.

Inevitably, many potential viewers will know going into Sorry, Child exactly what has occurred to Agnes. However there’s a lightness of contact right here that, if something, makes Agnes’ unsteady restoration all of the extra affecting. Victor understands how such a trauma can influence an individual, however gained’t let it outline Agnes. No surprise the movie is as alive, considerate and gently defiant as she is.