Sorry, Baby Movie Review

“Sorry, Baby” is a wonderfully personal story of person that has a positive attitude, in spite of a terrible event in her life. She is a collage student who has a few close friends and a lot of energy to make things happen. She might sometimes be a little bit too naive. But she proves that your life does not need to be defined by the worst thing that happened to you.

Agnes (played by Eva Victor) lives in a modest house near a college. This is where she’s pursuing her graduate studies in English literature. Her closest friend, and her classmate, is named Lydie (played by Naomi Ackie). She shares the home with her. The two women are deeply bonded. They feel they are not just roommates, but they are confidants who trust each other completely. Agnes, in particular, is a person who gives her trust freely.

With her thesis nearly complete, Agnes begins working more closely with her advisor, Professor Decker (played by Louis Cancelmi). He occupies a small, cluttered office in the English department. His role is to guide Agnes toward successfully completing her degree, and she feels confident meeting with him for advice.

Agnes and Lydie often joke about another student in their program, Natasha (played by Kelly McCormack), who always seems out of her depth and perpetually frustrated. Lydie, while admiring Agnes’s discipline and intellect, sometimes feels a twinge of envy toward her seemingly easy achievements.

Rumors circulate that Professor Decker’s wife and child have moved away. The reason is unclear, but Agnes doesn’t dwell on it. When he invites her to his home for a final thesis discussion, she thinks little of it. Decker seems to admire her work, and she hopes the meeting will solidify her place as one of the top students in the class.

Instead, the meeting becomes a traumatic turning point. What begins as a standard academic session ends in sexual assault. Agnes leaves Decker’s home shattered and disoriented.

Shaken, Agnes confides in Lydie, who remains her only steady support. They visit a medical clinic together, but the experience is sterile and unhelpful. Since Agnes chooses not to file a police report, there’s little anyone can do.

The college administration offers no real assistance either. They reveal that Decker resigned from his position just hours before meeting with Agnes. He’s already relocated and found work at another college. Their hands are tied. But, you know — they really do care about her…

In the midst of all this, Agnes finds a stray kitten while out getting coffee. She brings the cat home, giving the helpless creature the care and love she herself needs. Lydie isn’t surprised. This is the type of compassion that is a deep personal trait of Agnes.

Eventually, Lydie moves away and begins a new life with her partner Fran (played by E.R. Fightmaster). Meanwhile, Agnes continues to live in the same town. She meets Gavin (Lucas Hedges), who lives nearby while caring for his elderly mother. Their connection is casual, but comforting.

Agnes isn’t sure she’s ready for anything serious, and Gavin respects that. After graduating, Agnes stays on to work at the college, accepting various teaching assignments. She’s offered an office in the building. Ironically, it also happens to Decker’s former office. She’s also promoted to Associate Professor. Natasha, still bitter and antagonistic, remains her only real challenge on campus.

Later, Agnes is summoned for jury duty. She hopes to be excused due to her personal trauma — but cannot bring herself to explain the details. Her emotional reaction during questioning finally gets her released.

One day, Natasha confronts Agnes, accusing her of being favored by Decker. Natasha admits she once tried to trade sexual favors for better grades. It was consensual, she insists. She incorrectly implies that Agnes did the same. The accusation is too much. Agnes is overwhelmed.

Driving home, she experiences a panic attack. She pulls into a parking lot, struggling to breathe. A kind stranger named Pete (played by John Carroll Lynch), who runs the nearby sandwich shop, notices her distress.

Gently, he helps her calm down and makes her a sandwich. She claims that it is the best she’s had in a long time. They talk. Pete’s kindness and insight remind Agnes that while trauma can wound deeply, it doesn’t have to define her.

Later, Lydie visits with Fran and their new surrogate baby. Agnes is thrilled for her friend, who finally seems genuinely happy. As they reminisce, it becomes clear that, through all the hardship and heartbreak, Agnes has managed to keep going. She may never forget what happened, but she’s building something meaningful in spite of it.

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“Sorry, Baby” sets up a story of personal trauma. It covers several years – yet it uncovers the details out-of-order. There are several sequences, all set in different years in the life Agnes. But each year is not sequential, but told a more random order. This allows the viewer to focus in on the most important aspects of her personality.

Eva Victor (who goes by she/they) is an honest Writer of a story that could have become a bleak and aimless look into trauma. But, rather than dwell on the hurt and the pain, Victor raises Agnes up to an emotionally stable level. Also, in portraying Agnes, Victor gives a riveting performance of someone who will not wallow in misery.

Since the emotional toll from the assault against Agnes is so severe, her recollection of several years surrounding the event are not told in order. That allows for the viewer to see sometimes in the future and sometimes in the past. In all of these times, Agnes is shown as a steadfast friend, a brilliant student and a person with a positive attitude.

Naomi Ackie is also a very accomplished actor in a very important role. She plays the best friend Lydie with such compassion and understanding that it helps Agnes get better. The roles for John Carroll Lynch and Lucas Hedges are pretty brief, but they add to the flavor of the movie.

“Sorry, Baby” is an examination of a horrible event in someone’s life, but it shows they refuse to live in a quagmire of pain and doubt. The folks behind this movie have no reason to be Sorry — Baby…