“Sorry, Baby” follows Agnes, who must find her way through life after the world comes crashing down.

The opening 20 minutes of “Sorry, Baby” effectively showcase the power of Agnes and Lydie’s friendship. Even though adulthood may have separated them geographically, they share an unbreakable bond.

At the same time, the film hints at Agnes’ past. This creates a layer of intrigue amid a beautiful moment of two friends catching up with each other.

A Story Told in Pieces

From here, “Sorry, Baby” begins to tell its story in nonchronological order – putting pieces of Agnes’ life together for the audience to assemble.

The film benefits from this approach, showing that recovery isn’t always linear. By showing Agnes in various stages of the process, “Sorry, Baby” remains consistently relatable and resonant.

In doing so, it also doesn’t confine the character to a single moment. Agnes is much more than what happened to her, and the movie shows this time and time again.

Letting Moments Breathe

“Sorry, Baby” features outstanding cinematography. It isn’t afraid to linger on shots, leaving moments open to interpretation for the audience. These extended shots do a phenomenal job of cementing the impact they have on Agnes.

On top of that, writer-director-star Eva Victor and cinematographer Mia Cioffi Henry aren’t afraid of close-ups. Characters’ facial expressions and mannerisms are emphasized in impactful scenes of dialogue.

“Sorry, Baby” doesn’t show the audience – instead, it tells. Agnes recounts her sexual assault experience through powerful moments of dialogue with Lydie. These are some of the most profound scenes in the film, as she’s forced to relive the terrifying experience.

In this way, it’s terrifying for the audience as well. Not being able to see what happened, but instead feeling it through her words, is a powerful choice. One that allows viewers to sympathize with, relate to and truly feel for Agnes.

Pain, Humor and Humanity

While “Sorry, Baby” is a drama, it also leans into comedy. The film balances these tones well, making them core to Agnes’ identity and recovery process.

Many of these humorous moments are exaggerated – by design. It deals with insensitive doctors, uncaring faculty and more. This takes real-world experiences and sheds light on them in a funny yet deeply relatable way.

Victor (Agnes) deserves all of the praise they have received for this performance… and then some. They play the “awkward” persona to perfection, with several standout moments. Not only that, but they also dive headfirst into the emotional side of the character. Agnes feels real because of how Victor portrays her.

Naomi Ackie (Lydie) also succeeds by bringing authentic sympathy and empathy to the screen. Much of the time, her character is simply listening. She nails the small moments, counterbalancing Victor almost perfectly.

Lucas Hedges (Gavin) and John Carroll Lynch (Pete) also share individual moments with Victor that rank among the film’s most memorable.

“Bad things are going to happen to you.”

It’s the reality of life, and “Sorry, Baby” doesn’t shy away from it. The film hammers this message home in its final moments while still offering hope. Just because bad things will happen doesn’t mean there isn’t someone to hear you, talk to you and love you nonetheless.

It’s a beautiful message that highlights the fragile nature of life.

“Sorry, Baby” examines a character in the aftermath of a traumatic event. Rather than trapping her within that moment, the film explores all of the beauty, hope and love humans are capable of. Through drama and humor alike, “Sorry, Baby” leaves a lasting impact.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5