Babyteeth

A spoiler light review of Babyteeth should begin with tone, because Shannon Murphy understands exactly how this comedy ought to feel. Babyteeth gains early credibility from Eliza Scanlen, whose presence is balanced by the different rhythm of Michelle Lotters. The foundation of Babyteeth can be stated simply: Milla, a seriously ill teenager, falls in love with a drug dealer, Moses, her parents' worst nightmare. Within its 1h 58m running time, Babyteeth reveals both the benefits and the limits of that disciplined approach.

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Babyteeth benefits from Shannon Murphy being clear enough to keep the emotional line visible about what each sequence needs to accomplish. Instead of making every beat equally loud, Shannon Murphy lets Babyteeth create contrast between pressure and release. Its modest pleasures remain genuine throughout Babyteeth, with the strongest decisions feeling connected to character rather than display. It is still fair to say that Babyteeth suffers because a few supporting ideas remain thinner than the central one, but the problem remains contained.

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Babyteeth is most involving when the screenplay allows Milla to complicate what initially appears to be a story about Moses. That shift gives Eliza Scanlen a more specific problem to carry through Babyteeth. Working from material credited to Rita Kalnejais, Babyteeth reveals the central character at a measured pace instead of rushing toward its largest turn. The later pressure around an important relationship shows why Babyteeth benefits whenever cause and consequence remain visibly connected.

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What keeps Babyteeth emotionally readable is Eliza Scanlen, whose choices establish a consistent point of view. In scenes with Michelle Lotters, Babyteeth gains tension from two performers refusing to produce the same kind of energy. Toby Wallace contributes a separate rhythm to Babyteeth and helps the supporting material feel less purely functional. The direction by Shannon Murphy gives the cast of Babyteeth room to connect the quieter beats with the larger ones.

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The central idea running through Babyteeth concerns embarrassment, status and the gap between confidence and reality. Eliza Scanlen gives that idea a human scale, allowing Babyteeth to remain accessible even when its world becomes larger. By returning to the central character, Babyteeth turns theme into a source of pressure rather than a message waiting to be delivered. The handling by Shannon Murphy lets Babyteeth leave a little interpretive room, which gives its better scenes an afterlife.

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Visually, Babyteeth is most persuasive when comic timing built around character guides attention without becoming an attraction separate from the drama. Screen Australia supports Babyteeth with comic timing built around character, giving individual scenes a shared design logic. The Australia production character of Babyteeth is clearest in its use of well judged reactions to make place feel consequential. Even during its busiest moments, Babyteeth benefits from an edit and sound mix that protect the immediate emotional line.

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My final view is that Babyteeth provides a solid choice for the right audience for comedy fans who respond to personality and timing. Eliza Scanlen supplies the emotional memory of Babyteeth, while Shannon Murphy keeps the genre machinery readable. A concern remains because a few supporting ideas remain thinner than the central one across part of Babyteeth, yet the better passages retain their force. What earns Babyteeth consideration is not perfection but the presence of choices that feel made for this story.