Babes Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Babes Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 18, 2024

The experience of motherhood and friendship is examined in “Babes.” It’s not a serious study of the complexity of such a relationship, but mostly a goofy comedy co-scripted and co-starring Ilana Glazer, who works very hard (with collaborator Josh Rabinowitz) to keep the material at arm’s length from a more sincere take on the journey of pregnancy. Actress Pamela Adlon (perhaps best known as the voice of Bobby on “King of the Hill”) makes her feature-length directorial debut with the endeavor, and while she gives the movie a little jazzy pixie dust during its opening act, she soon submits to the tired approach of modern comedies, filling the effort with lengthy improvisational duels and lame ideas for silliness. “Babes” eventually succumbs to formula, and while the picture begins with some mischief and insight into the fogged mind of post-partum frustrations, it ultimately becomes a weak Judd Apatow-style viewing experience.

Eden (Ilana Glazer) and Dawn (Michelle Buteau) have been friends for almost their entire lives, but distance and life experiences have put strain on their bond. When Dawn adds another baby to a family she shares with her husband, Marty (Hassan Minhaj), Eden begins to feel like an outsider, unable to fit into her pal’s busy life. She finds comfort with Claude (Stephan James), a kind man she meets on the subway, willing to have unprotected sex with him. Soon after, Eden discovers she’s pregnant, also learning that Claude didn’t abandon her as she feared, but died, leaving her to decide about her future. She chooses motherhood, embarking on a journey of commitment and medical care she wants Dawn around to share, going to a veteran for support. However, as the months pass, the union between the longtime buddies is challenged by the reality of their schedules and personal health trials, putting Eden in a difficult emotional space.

Dawn is the pregnant one early on in “Babes,” joining her friend for their annual Thanksgiving Day movie. It’s a date that’s become harder to keep for the twosome as they get older, with Eden taking a lengthy subway ride to participate, only to be there when Dawn’s water breaks inside the theater. The writing tries to go a different way with a familiar cinematic event, sticking Eden under Dawn’s dress to check on the drippage while the pregnant woman demands they feast at a restaurant before they visit the hospital. The writing looks for relatability with the chaos of the situation, and the crudeness of “Babes” is defined as well. Adlon also aims for silliness, setting a heightened tone for the endeavor that’s appealing, with just a little bit of zaniness to go with the physical trials of delivery and the emotional pull of Eden, who can’t join her friend in the hospital as she rests.

Eden experiences a special connection with Claude, willing to break her rules about safe sex while also lacking an understanding of her own reproductive cycle, finding herself pregnant and alone soon after her shot at love. Claude’s death adds an interesting wrinkle to “Babes,” but the shock of it all doesn’t last for long, watching the movie retreat into sitcom mode at times. This includes the arrival of Morris (John Carroll Lynch), Eden’s doctor, and a man with severe hair issues. It’s enough for the visual gag to sit there for the audience to find, but Adlon always has the doctor point out his awful appearance, and the rule of three is broken, with the hair bit repeatedly returned to. Another weak idea involves babysitting night with Eden, who shows Dawn’s eldest child “The Omen,” gifting him satanic panic that scares his nanny away. “Babes” isn’t subtle, and it’s also lacking sharp editorial support from Annie Eifrig and Elizabeth Merrick, who leave in a lot of tedious improv games between Glazer and Buteau, trying to sell the back-and-forth of a friendship that’s not entirely believable. Adlon also gladly steps away from storytelling to watch the stars play, throttling the momentum of their motherhood experiences with and without each other.

Babes Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation offers decent detail throughout the viewing experience. Skin particulars are open for inspection as the characters go through changes, and makeup work is appreciable. City tours are dimensional, and interiors secure decorative additions in living and office spaces. Colors are defined, with warmer interiors that favor softer hues, while a cooler look for street events is maintained. Costuming provides brighter primaries, along with signage. Skin tones are natural. Delineation struggles just a little bit as a few low-lit scenes enter solidification, and compression takes a slight dip as well.

Babes Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The first thing noticed about the 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix is it use of music, with scoring cues and soundtrack selections claiming emphasis in the surrounds. It's a circular listening event with sharp instrumentation and clear vocals. Dialogue exchanges are also crisp, securing comedic timing and emotional events. Low-end isn't challenged, though some mild musical beats are present. Atmospherics are quieter, but supply some sense of room movement and street activity.

Babes Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Ilana and Michelle Taste Baby Food" (17:53, HD) puts the stars of "Babes" in a "Hot Ones"-style food challenge, only instead of enduring heat, they must withstand the taste of meals prepared for infants. During the sampling, Glazer and Buteau discussing the making of their movie, but real technical information isn't provided. More attention is placed on the sampling, with almost every offering triggering disgust from the duo.

• "The Moms Behind 'Babes'" (8:11, HD) is an interview with director Pamela Adlon and actresses Ilana Glazer and Michelle Buteau. It's a semi-chaotic conversation with the trio, with Adlon trying to define the old guard of parenting, trading tales with Buteau and Glazer, who represent a new generation of motherhood. The gang moves on to discussing "Mom Fails," sharing some vulnerabilities.

• Deleted Scenes (HD) include "Eden and Dawn Facetime" (1:42), "200 Day Partay" (2:08), "West Side Highway (1:21), and "Induction Tips with Dr. Morris" (1:23).

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:24, HD) is included.

Babes Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Babes" is stuck between cartoon antics and real-world concerns, with Adlon never finding a true balance of tone. There's a push to be authentic about post-birth frustrations, finding Dawn struggling with lactation issues. It could be a fascinating study of physical and mental blockage, giving Buteau something to play, but the writing eventually tires of following the subplot, instead handing Dawn a battle with ancient NYC plumbing pipes that fill her house with fecal matter collected over hundreds of years. Eden also has serious issues to deal with, including personal loss (her mother died when she was very young) and pregnancy concerns, and nothing is really followed in full. Instead, Glazer and Rabinowitz turn "Babes" into a romantic comedy of sorts, using tired break-up-to-make-up writing to create an uplifting conclusion. It's far from inspired, and there's such potential here to really get into the grooves of the female experience, handling the nuances and universal feelings of pregnancy with wit and realism. Unfortunately, poop and bald guy jokes win out in the end.