SORRY, BABY -- A Solid Debut

Review by Adam Donato

A24 is back at it again doing what they do best, giving an aspiring filmmaker an opportunity to show what they got. Eva Victor is the writer, director, and star of Sorry, Baby. She plays a young woman who is the victim of a crime and goes on an internal journey to cope with her trauma. The film appears to be slated for a limited release later this month, so it will take good word of mouth to get this movie to spread. Especially with no major movie stars involved. Maybe it will have to wait until awards season to get some recognition. That is, if it’s good enough to garner awards nominations. 

Sorry, Baby is produced by Barry Jenkins, who apparently discovered Victor. He got to work closely with her during post production. Victor also got to shadow Jane Schoenbrun on I Saw The TV Glow. It’s clear that Victor was surrounded by talented people and their efforts clearly bore fruit here. This film really acts as a solid foundation for the rest of Victor’s career. This entire movie is on her shoulders and she delivers a story that feels vulnerable and genuine. The character feels autobiographical and she has plenty of personality to carry the film. It will be interesting to see what direction she goes in going forward because she seems to have a good handle on contrasting tones. While the subject matter here can be very dark sometimes, there’s a defensive sense of humor that keeps the audience going throughout. Some audiences may have a hard time finding the humor in the film due to the dark subject matter, but it’s done with a purpose and tastefully. 

There’s some wonderful supporting performances here. Naomi Ackie already made her mark in 2025 with Mickey 17, but her role as the best friend here keeps the ball rolling well for her. The duo share good chemistry and feel like they’ve been friends forever. Kelly McCormack steals every scene she’s in as this stress riddled peer of our protagonist. Lucas Hedges is similarly awkward and hilarious in the film. John Carroll Lynch has a lone scene that helps put the entire film into perspective. Louis Cancelmi has little to do and is the weakest element of the film. 

The film explores themes about the inadequacy of the systems at bay to handle complicated situations like the one depicted in the film. There’s two impactful scenes in particular where the protagonist goes to the doctor and goes to jury duty. These scenes expertly highlight how futile our efforts for justice can feel. There’s a dark sense of humor in these scenes that feels sarcastic. It’s terrible the position that women like this are put in on a regular basis and calls to attention how we as people can feel powerless. 

This is an uncomfortable film that puts you in the shoes of a victim put in an impossible situation. It wouldn’t be surprising to see this film mentioned in people’s best of the year list or get some nominations. Movies like this are why it’s important to take a swing at new filmmakers with new stories. Check it out in theaters if you have the chance. 

Sorry, Baby will be nationwide on July 25. 

Rating: 4/5