NASTY BABY

US, 2015, 101 minutes, Colour.
Sebastian Silva, Kristen Wiig, Tunde Adebimpe, Reg E. Cathy, Mark Margolis, Agustin Silva, Alia Shawkat.
Directed by Sebastian Silva.

Nasty Baby is an odd title for this film. it is the work of Chilean director, Sébastian Silva, who made such offbeat films as The Maid as well as Magic, Magic. He has directed this film, takes the central role of installation artist, Freddie. One of his installations concerns babies, cutouts, photos, superimposing his own image on the babies – and trying to get it accepted by an art gallery.

However, Freddie actually wants a real and actual child. He lives with his partner, Mo, and they are relying on their friend Polly, Kristin Wiig, who is conscious of the running of her biological clock. Freddie’s sperm count is low and so he asks his partner, Mo, to consider supplying the sperm which he eventually does. The film raises issues of surrogacy and gay parenting.

One of the complications is a mentally disturbed man who lives in the street, accosting people, making Polly afraid as he approaches her, continually taunting the partners as faggots. When his installation is rejected, and Polly has kept the knowledge of her pregnancy to surprise him, he bursts out against the man in the street, killing him. Freddie, Mo, Polly and their friends take the body inside, transport it with the help of a neighbour, and dig a grave and bury it.

Then they forget all about it and look forward to the birth child.

1. The title, the tone? Freddie and his artwork about babies? In comparison with the real desire for conception and having a baby?

2. The director, background in Chile, the American producers? His films and the offbeat content and style? His playing Freddie in the film?

3. The American locations, apartments, the streets, medical centres, art galleries? Sense of realism?

4. The issue of surrogacy, Polly and her age, the biological clock? Gay partners, wanting to be parents?

5. Freddie, his character, age, artist? His relationship with Mo? Freddie and his own family, going to visit, taking Mo to meet them, their supporting him? Ordinary? Gay partners and surrogacy, wanting to be parents? Polly as a friend? Her telling Freddie that his sperm count was low? The attempts for conception? Asking Mo, his thinking it over, doing the test, agreement, the evening of the semen and the insertion? Success in pregnancy? Effect on each of the characters?

6. Polly, work, meetings, a situation, with each of the friends?

7. Wendy and Chino, their work, calling into the apartment, going out, meetings, support?

8. Richard, in the street, friendly?

9. Bishop, his mental condition, the attacks, on Polly, his taunting of the men as being faggots, the fights? The girl at his apartment, her aggressive calling out? Intervention of the police? Freddie’s final exasperation, attacking Bishop, the fight, Bishop falling, his death?

10. Mo and Polly, getting the body, take it inside, the decision, Richard’s help? The vehicle, taking the body to the plot, digging the grave, burying it?

11. Freddie, the discussions with the owner of the gallery, the detail of his piece, the baby, different images, his own face superimposed on the baby? The group at the gallery, the owner and his change of heart, his assistant, stern behaviour, the impact on Freddie?

12. Polly not immediately telling Freddie, wanting to surprise him – and the repercussions for his anger after the rejection of the gallery and his taking it out on Bishop?

13. The death of Bishop and his burial – and the characters and their calm, ignoring it, and moving forward to the birth of the baby?