Baby Done – A Clever and Probing Comedy

Zoe (Matafeo) is a young woman who discovers that she is pregnant. She decides she wants to live as wild and adventurous a life as possible before the baby arrives. Her boyfriend Tim (Lewis), saw things differently, going into nesting mode and trying to get Rose to settle down and prepare for the baby. Much of the film saw them clashing over their different approaches until they find a middle ground.

One of the more unique experiences of being a moviegoer is discovering the distinctive humor of countries beside their own. When it comes to a film like Baby Done, it offers a taste of its origin country’s quirky sensibilities which in this case is New Zealand. By any rate, the film relishes in awkward situations, cringe-inducing moments, and a healthy bout of existentialism that could leave viewers either disoriented or contemplative. A good deal of this humor is derived from Zoe’s more daring tendencies and approach to life, risking herself to get just a little more thrill out of life before she has to settle down. As one can imagine with a lot of to-be mothers, Zoe is understandably nervous about looming maternal life, and this movie doesn’t necessarily judge her for wanting to be a little reckless while she can still get away with it.

This is where Tim’s perspective comes into play. On the opposite end of the spectrum, he dives headfirst into nest mode, overly concerned about making sure everything is right before their baby arrives, no matter how much this puts him at odds with Zoe and how much he feels the need to hawk over her free-spirited adventures. He’s a nice, caring boyfriend and all, and his cautious attitude about this new development is understandable, but he can also be kind of a dick, not to mention acting a little sexist regarding his behavior towards Zoe. He needs to realize he doesn’t just get to dictate Zoe’s actions just because he might be the father of her baby. Yet it doesn’t take sides or paint in black-and-white, instead understanding the merits and flaws with each of their thinking points and expecting them to settle for finding a middle ground in the name of the bigger picture.

But the film is also very sweet without feeling cloying or sentimental. It doesn’t overindulge in its more vulgar moments, but instead lets those vulgar moments add pathos and realism to the central relationship, only making it more believable. It is true that the disagreements that come in any relationship make the happy experiences and memories shine even moreso. Relationships involve having fights every now and then, even if they’re over the smallest, most trivial things. It also requires being able to grow and learn from difficult moments. If the relationship isn’t challenging either party on some level, then it would be hard for it to progress into bigger things. Both Zoe and Tim are allowed to be a little selfish in the moment out of fear for the looming stakes, but they also have to realize that neither of them are entirely prepared to be parents. Instead of the film pushing an idea of rushing to maturity as quickly as possible, the two of them learn to understand their own strengths and weaknesses.

In the end, Baby Done cleverly probes into the anxiety felt by many soon-to-be adults, as well as that of young adults in general. One can see this resonating with a lot of current college students for this reason.

still courtesy of Gravitas Ventures

Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Letterboxd.

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Gabe Guarin

letterboxd.com/misterhulot/