BABES

Babes is an uproariously hilarious comedy about friendship, childbirth and life that features a smart screenplay from Ilana Glazer and Josh Rabinowitz, brought to life by the dynamic pairing of Ilana Glazer and Michelle Buteau.

Raunchy R rated comedies when they are done well can be a true crowd pleasing experience, even with the gross out moments that accompany the genre, and Babes is the next film to join this revered club. Alongside the likes of Bridesmaids and Booksmart, Babes is another brilliant female led R rated comedy that not only will have you howling with laughter throughout the film, but one that will hit an emotional chord with viewers that provides them with a rich viewing experience. It’s all to the credit of the sensational pairing of Ilana Glazer and Michelle Buteau, who are a comedic tour de force and give heartfelt individual performances, and the writing of Glazer and Josh Rabinowitz that ensures each comedic moment generates big laughs and helps to further the character arcs of the film’s leading ladies.

If there is one thing audiences are going to be talking about after watching Babes, it is the comedic pairing of Glazer and Buteau. From the very first scene, their comedic abilities shine and carry the entire film from start to finish. The quick comedic pacing they have is excellent, ensuring lots of killer moments between the two of them; whether it be the banter back and forth between their characters, moments of physical comedy or a zinger of a one liner that they unleash. But beyond that, Glazer and Buteau form a true bond on screen that instantly invests the audience in their characters’ friendship, which becomes the beating heart of the film. Not only are you wanting both of them to succeed in being mothers and the challenges they are facing, but you experience the ups and down of their friendship, wanting nothing more than for their friendship to flourish and for them to remain as close as sisters over the course of the film. It’s beautiful work from both Glazer and Buteau, who are each impressive in their own individual performances, but as a duo, they are an unstoppable force that will ensure you are laughing non-stop throughout the film. Needless to say, this cannot be that Glazer and Buteau do a comedy together, as the world would be a far less entertaining place to live in if that were the case. And while there is no stealing the film from their luminous presence, Hasan Minhaj has some wonderful moments as Dawn’s husband Marty, bringing a true vulnerability to the role that creates a beautiful moment with Buteau in the third act while also never missing a comedic beat alongside his female co-stars.

While the credit for the film’s success is going to be given to the performances of Glazer of Buteau, the screenplay they are given to work with is excellent. Glazer and her writing partner Josh Rabinowitz have developed a beautiful story that highlights the struggles of motherhood, both carrying a child and trying to re-adjust to life having just given birth, capturing all the beauty and heartache of the scenarios. Relationships are tested, true characters are shown that gives an unbiased portrayal of the characters with their flaws and all on display, and you’ll laugh and get sentimental by the time the film is over as you go on this joyous journey with these characters. The written comedic moments are brilliant, such as the scene where Glazer’s Eden tries to get information out of the twins about her baby daddy, or Buteau’s Dawn’s son who takes watching The Omen one step to far on his poor new nanny which is one of the funniest scenes of the year so far. It’s sharp, nuanced and insightful writing from Glazer and Rabinowitz that never sacrifices an emotional beat for the sake of a cheap gag, instead using each comedic moment to supplement the character arcs that are written and deliver an unforgettable comedy for viewers.

There is no question that audiences who end up watching Babes are going to fall in love with this incredible comedy. Not only is it absolutely hilarious and will leave audiences dying of laughter with its truly outrageous comedic moments, the story touches on important themes of motherhood and friendship that will resonate with viewers on a deeper level than most R rated comedies they have seen in recent years. With the killer comedic team up of Ilana Glazer and Michelle Buteau, which is bound to be one of the best duos of the entire year, bringing to life Ilana Glazer and Josh Rabinowitz’s incredibly funny and insightful screenplay, Babes is nothing short of a fantastic comedy that has all the crass moments audiences expect from a R rated comedy and the corresponding heart to result in a new fan favourite film.