Originally posted June 19, 2020 at Cinema76.com
As a former teenager I know I did not do my parents many favors. But they laid down the law and did what they could to make sure I would turn out into a fairly decent human being. But how do you parent a teenager who will never get to adulthood? How do you set rules and boundaries when your rebellious teen is also terminally ill? That is the central question that the new film Babyteeth tries to explore.
Babyteeth is the feature debut for director Shannon Murphy. It stars Eliza Scanlen (Little Women, Sharp Objects) as Milla. Milla’s diagnosis makes her detached and cut off from her classmates. She seems to lack the vigor of a young girl. This all changes when she meets Moses (Toby Wallace) a twenty-something drug dealer who she immediately becomes smitten with. This of course worries both of her parents who immediately want to cut him from Milla’s life. But when Moses is around, Milla is full of life and it seems he is able to provide her something necessary that they are not emotionally capable of doing. So then the couple is forced to figure out how to make space for this problematic boy in their lives.
When you look at the basic plot of the film it sounds a lot like an updated version of the Mandy Moore film A Walk to Remember. Young, sick girl manages to change the lives of those around her. But Murphy gives a unique take, full of dysfunction, fun, and beauty. All of the characters in the film are dealing with much of their own issues, especially Milla’s parents. Her father Henry (Ben Mendelson, Rogue One, The Outsider) is a psychiatrist who often uses his own medications and doles them out to his patients. His wife (Essie Davis, The Babadook) also happens to be one of these patients, she is a heavily medicated woman who gave up her musical career for Milla. Watching these two try to parent while dealing with their own problems is difficult. It is even stranger to watch them as the judge Moses for his lifestyle. Moses is of course a pretty messed up kid who is also taking drugs and is essentially homeless. But there’s a sweetness and naivety to his character that gives him dimensions and really makes you feel endeared to him even with his flaws
All of the characters are really enjoyable to watch, including the side characters like the music instructor and his son, or the pregnant young punk across the street. Mendelsen and Davis are really wonderful together and for all of their issues they have a really great chemistry throughout the story. Of course the real stand out is Eliza Scanlen as Milla. This actress brings so much joy and despair to this character. She wants to just be a teenager, go to a dance, and fall in love so badly but because of her illness she already has to grow up more than she would like. But her adventurous spirit rubs off on all of the people around her and eventually helps all of the messed up people in her life try to better themselves. Scanlen is incredible and makes this goofy teen feel like a totally flushed out character.
There are so many layers to the family dynamics that felt real and relatable. There are cute moments like Milla, cuddling up to her dad and watching whatever borning news story is on his tablet. There are gut wrenchingly beautiful moments like when Milla convinces her mother to play music with her for the first time in a long while. Then of course there are the moments when we see the parents coping with their trauma. As the father pulls away into his grief the mother tries to overcompensate by being everything to everyone. In the moments that the parents are in solitude, we see how the grief takes hold and affects them in ways that they cannot fully express to each other, making them feel even more alone. All of these delicate pieces that are put into the film breathe so much life into this story.
Babyteeth has so much going for it. It is such an impressive piece of work as a feature length directorial debut. There are so many vivid moments that stick with you days after watching, I usually always say this with young female directors but I am very excited to see what Murphy works on next. The writing is wonderful and I oscillated between laughing out loud and ugly crying. Along with the wonderful acting and writing, the cinematography is sublime. In particular there is a part of the film where Milla sneaks out and goes to a party and all of the lights and colors are so gorgeous. Milla feels so alive in these scenes and they do such a gorgeous job illustrating that.
There are very few things to dislike about Babyteeth, it exudes warmth and sorrow so beautifully. It reminds us that in times of true sadness and tragedy there are ways that the universe helps us cope and brings people into our lives that ultimately help us cope. I highly recommend making time for this lovely little film.
The Neon Banshee 