MOURNING MONOLOGUES

MOVIE
Shiva Baby
Director Emma Seligman
Review Ray Chan

This movie is an extension of debut director Emma Seligman’s 2018 short film of the same name, enabling her to explore more of the themes surrounding the premise of a social encounter at a shiva: in Jewish faith, a seven-day period of formalised mourning by the immediate family of the deceased.
    Danielle (Rachel Sennott), a young woman with a humdrum life and who offers sexual favours to earn some extra income, attends a shiva with her parents, at which she has awkward encounters with her family friends and her ex-girlfriend, Maya (Molly Gordon). To make matters worse, her sugar daddy Max unexpectedly turns up at the gathering.
    Danielle already doesn’t want to be there: so feeling forced to attend, her growing discomfiture stems from a blend of embarrassment and the need to hide her personal life – notably, her side hustle – from her personable, talkative parents. Despite being openly bisexual, her overpowering mother and eccentric dad do not fully understand their daughter, failing to support her life choices amid a host of judgemental friends and relatives.
    She finds herself at the receiving end of somewhat intrusive and barbed comments about her weight, her relationships and her future prospects, particularly from older aunts and grandmothers who wish to share their wisdom. These slowly chip away at her emotional walls and, as we see the shiva unfold almost in real-time, it becomes a boiling pot of tension.
    The presence of Maya and Max are just other unpalatable ingredients tossed in the cauldron. Although she is the only one that truly connects with her, Maya is bitter about the break-up and doesn’t hesitate to attack Danielle with snide remarks. Max, who’s there with his wife Kim, tries to hide his involvement with Danielle, not to mention some indiscreet topless selfies on the phone.
    Reprising her role from the short film, Sonnett’s performance as Danielle is confident and shows a natural talent in front of the camera. There is also strong chemistry with Polly Draper and Fred Melamed, who smoothly combine awkwardness and comedy in their performances as Danielle’s parents. Dianna Agron’s subtle performance as the cold, quietly voiced Kim also provides a brilliant foil for the chaotic Danielle, and viewers are left to wonder if she suspects anything afoot.
    Throughout, the endless screaming of Max and Kim’s baby – hence the movie’s name – and Danielle’s growing anxiety produce a relatable feeling of claustrophobia within the closed environment. The escalating apprehension does undermine the humour though, making the film less funny as time goes on, which is a shame since Sennott has a deadpan humour to admire, and there are some moments of observational comedy that really hit home.
    In the end, the audience is forced to sit with bated breath and clenched palms as it awaits for the land mines of emotion and rebellion to blow up, but Shiva Baby ends on a surprising yet uplifting note, allowing us to breathe easier in the calmness after the storm.


#shivababy