Antibirth Review
Natasha Lyonne and Chloë Sevigny star in Antibirth, a tale of traumatic pregnancy. Best friends Lou (Lyonne) and Sadie (Sevigny) are all about the party life, keeping themselves alive with a mixture of stale beer and drugs. After one particularly heavy night Lou realises that she’s pregnant, with no idea who the father is. However, as her pregnancy wears it becomes clear that this is no ordinary baby.
The dynamic of Lou and Sadie’s relationship is basically a waster version of Romy and Michelle. They’re not particularly sharp and, through events out of their control, they are planted firmly at the bottom of the social ladder. As the pregnancy develops the duo’s bond comes under pressure and the introduction of a third female, Lorna, threatens to break them apart.
Antibirth Review
The film is lead fantastically by Natasha Lyonne. Lyonne’s characters have never been shrinking violets, but Lou is on another planet. She’s foul-mouthed, brash and unkempt, but still manages to get the audience on side. Maybe’s it’s the delicate situation she finds herself in that endears her.
Without wishing to give anything away the film is made by the events of the last ten minutes; all the stories and characters collide with unexpected results. Director Danny Perez is bold and unafraid to delve into untold territory. He’s also no shy of the odd bit of gore. Be warned, there are gross make-up effects by the bucket-load, you’ll need a cast-iron stomach for several blisteringly gruesome scenes.
Antibirth is dirty and subversive with an abundance of bodily fluids. Rosemary’s Baby for the waster generation.
Antibirth screens as part of 2016’s Fantasia International Film Festival programme.
Find all our of Fantasia 2016 coverage here.
