Babyteeth review
This authentic and compelling coming-of-age tale masterfully balances animated teen spirit and impending devastation with dazzling confidence and fervour.
At first glance the story is recognisable; the lovestruck terminally ill teen movie has developed its own, admittedly rather predictable and unsubstantial, subgenre. But director Shannon Murphy has side-stepped cliches and created a submersive film overflowing with intensity and skittish teen energy, which is heavily tinted throughout by the presence of impending devastation and tragedy.
We meet Milla (Eliza Scanlen, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women) on a bustling train platform as her life quite literally collides with the dauntless and bold young drug addict Moses (Toby Wallace, Netflix's The Society) , homeless, alienated and estranged from his family. Acting on impulse she decides not to catch her train, and finds herself being cradled as he stops her nosebleed. The encounter - somehow tender yet intense, gentle yet violent - marks the beginning of an initially arms-distance relationship, defined in part by its oxymoronic character that carries throughout the film. The pair are drawn together in raw, messy, discordant harmony: Milla fragile yet steadfast, surrounded by medicinal drugs and dysfunctional parents, and Moses, with a helter skelter lifestyle among the recreational underground world of drugs, estranged from his family. But their chemistry is such that you remain invested throughout.
Played with confidence and depth by Scanlen, Milla is thrilling and comical: utterly authentic and recognisable as a strong-willed, stubborn teenager. Yet she is living with ever-present anxiety and dread; attempting to cope with typical teenage struggles as well as that of her health. Surrounded by the serene yet almost oppressive glass walls of her chic suburban home, Moses sparks an impulsiveness in Milla which she adopts as an antidote to her pent up turmoil.
The film is beautifully acted by Wallace also, who manages to avoid the pitfalls of the ‘bad-boy’ teenage junkie cliche, by masterfully revealing both exuberance and trauma amongst Moses’ inner conflict. Furthermore, there is much to be enjoyed in the performances from Essie Davis and Ben Mendelsohn as Milla’s parents, bound up in stress yet attempting to hide this through ironically providing ever-more dysfunctional parenting in their attempt.
Trailer for Babyteeth- Released in UK cinemas in August 2020 and now on Netflix and other streaming platforms
For me what sets this film apart from its Hollywood ‘terminally-ill' romance’ predecessors is its humanity. Though focused on the relationship of Milla and Moses, it makes a wider comment on the ways in which we deal with drugs and dread; love and loss. The bold balance of tragedy and humour leaves you unsure when to laugh or cry, see Milla’s mother Anna (Davis) high on prescription drugs and distant at the kitchen table over dinner, humiliating Milla- comical yet devastating in her attempt to cope with her daughter’s illness. This balance of humour and suffering reflects a reality many find ourselves in when we lack control, yet rarely reflected on screen in such an unflinching way.
Though Murphy’s background is predominantly in theatre, the film is vibrant and cinematic, with a free-flowing visual style and a unique, playful character. It is shot handheld, mirroring the skittish attitude with which Milla approaches her obstacles, as well as contributing the tense and submersive nature of the film. Stylistically ambitious for a debut feature, it is broken into different chapter headings, dividing the story into a series of short yet poignant and immersive moments, and its grading is neon and vibrant, as Milla desperately absorbs the world with unfiltered awe.
What’s also striking is the films unique use of music. Instead of falling for the cliches, Murphy has compiled her own distinctive soundtrack, eclectic and vibrant, ranging from Mozart to the Stranglers. It lifts the narrative, giving the story an emotional buoyancy and becoming almost a form of communication between violinist Milla and her mother (an ex-professional pianist).
With stylistic edge and broad emotional accessibility, Murphy’s sensational directorial debut balances the kinetic, the beautiful and the devastating with raw emotional authenticity in this refreshing and artistically ambitious teen movie.
Babyteeth is available on Netflix and other streaming services now and is rated Cert. 15