Directed by Shannon Murphy, coming-of-age dramedy Babyteeth depicts the blossoming romance between 16-year-old Milla (Eliza Scanlen) and Moses (Toby Wallace) in the foreground of Milla’s cancer recurrence. Perverse, striking, and poignant, it’s hard to argue that Babyteeth isn’t a triumph. Whether you’re watching for Scanlen’s mesmerising performance, achy young adult romance, sensitive portrayals of mental illness and drug addiction or indie coming-of-age fun, this film has something that lights a fire in everyone’s belly. With this in mind, it seems impossible to pick a favourite character, plotline, or concept.
But Babyteeth portrayed a theme that struck me with such potent force I had no choice but to pay attention, and that theme is this:
Dysfunction is at the heart of every family.
This might seem paradoxical – how can dysfunction be at the heart of every functioning family? Naturally, we assume dysfunction is a negative thing. It can be, and I am certainly not suggesting that families experiencing extreme conflict, mistreatment, or abuse should not receive help and/or intervention. However, I am suggesting that dysfunction can be a positive thing or, at the very least, a beautiful and normal thing that characterises many families. Nobody is perfect and so no family is perfect.
We can keep most people separate from the personal difficulties we face behind closed doors. The problem is, family (whatever that means to you) is behind those doors most of the time, even if they are metaphorical. We can lie to most people, fabricating neat and tidy stories that cover up our tears and hurt. But through physical or emotional proximity, families often know it all. This means that for most of us, family is synonymous with ‘big ol’ mess’.
The ‘messy’ flavour of the relationships in Babyteeth is apparent in the very first instance. In the opening scene, wayward Moses bounces into Milla’s life, boldly and immediately reforming her version of ‘normal’ with his chaotic energy when he bumps into her on the platform of a train station. Red-eyed, charming, and frantic, he immediately attracts Milla’s attention. With his hand-poked tattoos and rat-tailed mullet, he might be her last chance to be wild and in love.
The scene then cuts to one overlaid with the title “Anna and Henry’s Tuesday appointment”. This is where we meet Milla’s parents (Essie Davis and Ben Mendelsohn) during one of their regular therapy sessions (Henry’s a psychiatrist and is administering Anna’s treatment). Anna suggests sex and Henry agrees, finishing the sandwich he’s eating and verbally upping her dosage of prescription medication as they initiate lovemaking on the desk.
Later that day, Milla’s parents are disturbed when she brings Moses home for dinner. Anna (whilst high on prescription drugs) outwardly expresses her disapproval of him and his age (he’s 23 to Milla’s 16). Throughout the film, Anna is shown to be suffering terribly due to her daughter’s illness, haunted both by her past and her future. Henry attempts to hold things together but is suffering no less. As things progress, Milla’s parents are desperate to protect her but also know that Moses is her first love. First loves are an unshakeable force, and this might be her only chance.
Disowned by his own mother, Moses has no obvious place to call home. So, to make Milla happy, her parents eventually ask him to live with them. He agrees and it’s unclear to both Milla and the audience whether his agreement is due to his fondness of Milla or easily accessible drugs. Henry is doubly frustrated by the circumstances and alarms even himself when he later initiates a kiss with pregnant neighbour Toby. Things seem to be coming apart at the seams; at one point Milla and Moses are play fighting in the garden, subject to the scrutiny of her onlooking parents. Anna says wearily, “This is the worst possible parenting I can imagine.”
Almost all relationships in the film are strained, and almost all the characters’ circumstances are multifaceted and challenging. And yet, there is something inviting about it. The film portrays something that feels close to home, something that seems ‘normal’ or ‘ordinary’ amongst disorder and dysfunction. As the audience, we are comforted by the drama. It’s a reminder that our family isn’t the only one.
Of course, we see bittersweet and joyous moments too, many of which involve Milla. She is thoughtful, funny, and fierce – loved dearly by all. But whilst Milla is at the heart of the family, it is not only relationships involving her that blossom. It’s as much Moses’, Anna’s, and Henry’s story as it is hers. Mendelsohn and Davis perform an eerily realistic portrayal of a long-married couple with a shared trauma; a brilliant but beaten-down team. Between periods of conflict, even Moses bonds with both parents, and they seem to genuinely care for him. Although his presence is sometimes nightmarish, he is eventually accepted in a roundabout way, sharing tender moments with both Anna and Henry respectively.
Milla’s birthday, titled ‘everyone was invited’, manages an even bigger family-esque dynamic, throwing in Toby (the overly-honest pregnant neighbour), Milla’s music teacher, Moses’ younger brother, and a young boy neighbour. They laugh, dance, play music and drink sangria until chaos unfolds once more as Toby goes into labour and they all jump up to help.
A film rooted in tragedy and dysfunction can rarely come across so wholehearted, warm, and uplifting; this film is food for the soul. It’s not just that a dysfunctional family is present in the narrative, it is that it is shown as normal. It’s celebrated… and doesn’t take itself too seriously. The shameful ‘I’m not doing this right’ feeling we get when navigating family relationships disappears for the 2 or so hours you’re watching Babyteeth. Taking it one step at a time and recognising the presence of love (no matter how murky) – well, that’s all any of us can hope for. Don’t wear yourself out seeking the perfect family; there’s no use wasting time searching for something that doesn’t exist.
Babyteeth is a kaleidoscope of affairs that reeks of drama. It features themes of drug-addiction, theft, power-imbalances, age-gap romances, protective parents, mental illness, terminal illness, young love, and violin playing. What more could we ask for? The truth is, family means there’s always someone to resent, always someone who should repent, always someone who’s spiralled into dissent. There’s always someone to be mad at, someone you’re confused by, or someone who you wished wasn’t such a recluse. Families are ugly, wild, and raw – filled to the brim with intense feelings and uncomfortable situations. Babyteeth shows that there’s beauty in that. It’s as much a story about cancer as it is a story about love, relationships, or playing the violin. The film remains an uplifting tale about the spirit of a girl with electric energy and the eclectic people around her.
Words by Charlie Martina
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