Film Review: ‘Babes’ is An Equally Amusing and Touching Comedy About Friendship Mixed with Pregnancy

A foulmouthed comedy is often music to my ears. Put enough funny folks in a film together and, provided the screenplay is up to par, hilarity will ensue. In the case of Babes, that’s definitely the case, which is a credit not just to director Pamela Adlon, herself a talented comedic actress, but star/writer Ilana Glazer as well. It all winds up making this movie a whole lot of fun, with characters you come to care about, even when they’re being a bit on the zany side.

Babes manages to be both very funny and surprisingly touching, sometimes even in the same scene. There’s a tonal line that’s being walked here that a lesser film would have struggled with. There are occasional moments where the comedy overshadows the story, but by and large, this is very enjoyable, while also being more moving than you might expect.

Best friends Eden (Glazer) and Dawn (Michelle Buteau) have been inseparable since childhood. The former has a carefree life running a yoga studio out of her apartment, while the latter is a pregnant mother of one, married and a successful dentist. We meet them in the midst of an annual Thanksgiving friendship tradition, until Dawn goes into labor. Once the baby comes, Eden heads out to get Dawn and her husband Marty (Hasan Minhaj) some sushi, but arrives too late for visiting hours. Stuck on the train with an absurdly expensive meal, she strikes up a conversation with Claude (Stephan James), an actor. The chat turns into gaming at her apartment, which leads to sex. A bit later, not only does she realize that Claude is no longer in the picture, she’s pregnant as well.

As Eden navigates her pregnancy, Dawn is dealing with her postpartum life. Her kids are driving her up a wall, Eden is becoming needy, and it’s all just too much. As things come to a head for both of them, their friendship is tested, all while knowing that Eden is fully unprepared for what her life is about to become.

The duo of Michelle Buteau and Ilana Glazer have incredible chemistry together. Their riffing comes off like actual best friends and are some of the funniest moments in the flick. Once in a while, it stops the narrative dead in its tracks, but you’re having enough fun that it’s forgivable. Buteau ends up with the biggest comedic and dramatic bits, even if Glazer is more of the lead, but both equate themselves quite well. Watching them is a riot. Stephan James shines in his small role, while Hasan Minhaj is solid, if under-utilized. Supporting players here include Sandra Bernhard, Keith Lucas, Kenny Lucas, John Carroll Lynch, Elena Ouspenskaia, Oliver Platt, and more.

Pamela Adlon makes her feature directorial debut a confident one, taking the script from Ilana Glazer and Josh Rabinowitz and highlighting all of its strengths. Babes could easily have been too silly for its own good, or ended up feeling preachy with its message. However, Adlon, Glazer, and Rabinowitz are too clever, as well as too talented, to allow that to happen. Does the film need to be 104 minutes long? Probably not, but at the same time, it does allow the characters to breathe, as well as to let some of the comedic moments run long. I personally can’t wait to see what Adlon helms next.

Babes has a lot going for it. The movie will make you laugh, for sure, but by the end, you’ll also be doing a lot of smiling. To make this material seem as easy as it appears on screen, that’s a credit to everyone involved. If you’re looking for a cute little comedy with something extra up its sleeve, this is one not to miss.

SCORE: ★★★