By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
"Sorry, Baby" is the new dramedy from
Eva Victor (TV’s "Billions"), who not only wrote and directed the indie film--but also stars in it.
Although Victor's ambition shines through and "Sorry, Baby" aims to convey a meaningful message, the film often feels uneven and disjointed, and its sluggish pacing doesn't help.
Set against the backdrop of various Massachusetts locales, "Sorry, Baby" unfolds in five chapters or prologue-style segments. The opening introduces us to 31-year-old Agnes (Victor), an English professor at a local college. She's eagerly anticipating a visit from her best friend, Lydie (Naomi Ackie, "Mickey 17"). Time and distance have taken their toll on their friendship, but the reunion is filled with warmth, nostalgia, and lively conversation about their shared past. Lydie shares exciting news. She is pregnant, which adds to the celebratory mood, especially as Agnes has been promoted from part-time to full-time professor at the same college where they both attended graduate school.
"Sorry, Baby" shifts from lighthearted banter to deeper emotional terrain. Agnes begins to grapple with unresolved feelings about her career, identity, and the quiet loneliness that has settled into her routine.
Meanwhile, Lydie's pregnancy serves as a reminder of the different paths their lives have taken. These introspective moments are where Victor's writing comes across as raw and relatable. However, some of these poignant beats are undercut by the film’s fragmented structure, which struggles to maintain momentum between chapters.
A major turning point comes when Agnes is summoned to meet with her former thesis advisor, Preston Decker (Louis Cancelmi, "Killers of the Flower Moon” and TV's "Billions"). The encounter takes a disturbing and traumatic turn. He sexually assaults Agnes, and it of course leaves her reeling.
The scene is quietly devastating, and the film admirably refuses to sensationalize the trauma. Instead, it focuses on the emotional fallout--Agnes' numb attempts to seek support, and the institutional apathy she faces.
A judgmental, indifferent doctor (Marc Carver, "I Care a Lot") offers little help, and the lead women in the HR department gives her a polite but powerless response. Decker, after all, has already taken a job elsewhere.
Agnes finds a brief glimmer of comfort in a gentle conversation with a local sandwich shop owner (a quietly excellent John Carroll Lynch, TV’s "Ballard") and in caring for a stray kitten left behind when Lydie departs.
The supporting cast, notably, Agnes' colleague Natashia (Kelly McCormack, "Another Simple Favor"), and Gavin, her friend with benefits (Lucas Hedges, "Shirley"), adds texture, but their appearances feel more symbolic, and the script rarely gives them enough substance to elevate the material.
Visually, the film has an intimate, almost diary-like quality, with cozy interiors that echo Agne's introspective world. It's a nice touch, but not enough to compensate for the film's lack of narrative cohesion.
Despite the backing of an acclaimed producer like
Barry Jenkins, ("If Beale Street Could Talk"), "Sorry, Baby" falls short of its potential. It's an earnest, if uneven, meditation on trauma, friendship, and the fragile process of healing and moving forward.
Victor shows flashes of talent and a distinct voice. With tighter pacing and more focused storytelling, future projects from the filmmaker could resonate much more deeply.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the
Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station
KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Take a Peek At This Trailer For
"SORRY, BABY"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
