Hot take: Babyteeth

‘Babyteeth’ is a tragicomedy about a young cancer-stricken girl who develops an attraction for an older drug-dealer. Fortunately, though, it is not just about this; giving us by turns a glimpse into the difficulties of a middle-aged couple struggling to keep it together, a reminder of the wildness of young love, and a sociological commentary on the alienation and drug dependence of modern Australia.

If this sounds like much, it’s because it is—and the film does not always manage the changes in stylistic and emotional registers well. But there is lots to appreciate here: an extremely rich musical soundtrack that runs the range from Mozart to the Sudan Archives, intimate if sometimes overwrought camerawork, and deft direction from debutant director Shannon Murphy, who shows admirable restraint, preventing the whole edifice from becoming too maudlin (though the first hour does overdo the quirky indie aesthetic a little). This restraint is all the more noteworthy because the director totally abandons it in the last half hour, taking the film firmly into high melodrama which hits an unexpectedly sincere note.

This is possible because 'Babyteeth' is held together and raised above the genre by superlative performances. Eliza Scanlen embodies the willful protagonist with ferociousness and great depth of feeling, avoiding the register of pathos altogether. Toby Wallace breathes life into what could have easily been a one-note character. Essie Davis as the concerned mother is fragile and childlike, while Ben Mendelssohn rivals Eliza for the most affecting performance as a psychoanalyst who doesn’t quite know how to deal with his own emotions. 'Babyteeth' is a tearjerker all right, but it does not manipulate the audience to this end. Instead, it takes us along for an electric ride that has its downs but manages to find its mark in a soaring climax.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music

Language: English (Australian)

Runtime: 1h 58min

Year of release: 2019

Streaming Platform: N/A

Hot take is a series in which I offer my first impressions of films from India and around the world.