Pamela Adlon’s Babes movie is a lot at times. I went into it expecting a light-hearted comedy about best friends, but as it dove deeper into pregnancy jokes, it veered into “too much” territory too quickly. It’s not a film for everyone, especially for those who’d much rather not think about what their bodies can do until they’re ready. Still, as a story about strong women and their lasting friendships, Babes movie is a definite winner.
The film shines best because of the chemistry between Ilana Glazer and Michelle Buteau, allowing the characters to take center stage in showcasing what it looks like to truly have a choice in who one’s family could be. It’s about showing up for each other, even when they’re fighting, and vowing to protect each other through thick, thin, and everything in between.
Films like Bridesmaids succeed because of an ensemble cast, but Babes movie shines through the intimacy it showcases between two women who grew up together. It sparkles when it allows women to be messy, complicated human beings whose stories intertwine and move in different directions. We don’t get to see much of their beginnings, but everything we see throughout their pregnancies shows us why they’ve stayed friends all these years. It allows us to understand why they must remain in each other’s lives and why it’s important that their kids do so, too.
More often than not, friendships take a backseat to romantic relationships. Glazer’s Eden comments on it at one point, which serves as the film’s brilliant climax to authenticate why this story will succeed in touching hearts. The jokes might not always stick the landing, and some of it might feel like it’s just too much to swallow, but it’s a film that cleverly reminds viewers why friendships are the backbones of happiness. Yes, spouses help, but a good friend who stands beside you through every little milestone is someone we don’t talk about nearly enough. We don’t give our friends the credit they deserve when everything else is falling apart, and they’re trying their absolute hardest to be beside us.
Babes movie succeeds as a story about friendship because while Eden and Dawn are opposites of one another, they’re cut from the same cloth. They’re similar but different, as they understand the importance of loyalty and how it matters in not only keeping our friends happy but ourselves, too. Friendships aren’t transactional, but we should want to give each other our best while we receive, too. We should want to show up for each other and live three blocks away because there’s magic in friendships.
There’s a lot to take away from the film. While some moments can be uncomfortable, it’s still riveting to see so much authenticity around pregnancies and everything they entail. It’s incredible to truly understand what our bodies are capable of, how much they change, and who stands beside us during tricky moments. It’s surprisingly earnest in the confusion it presents, and it’s intricately well thought out in the execution, making the film one that’s worth watching, specifically for the gorgeous, heartwarmingly tearjerker end result.
Babes movie is now available on all digital platforms.
First Featured Image | Official Poster Credit: ©Neon