By Comedian Rose Matafeo and Harry Potter alumnus Matthew Lewis star in this New Zealand-set comedy from executive producer Taika Waititi, focusing on a young couple having to deal with the reality of an unplanned pregnancy. That may not sound like the most original premise in the world, but it is one that Baby Done occasionally tackles with a surprising frankness, enabling this comedy to stand apart thanks in large part to the two charming leads carrying it along the way.
Arborists and long-term partners Zoe (Matafeo) and Tim (Lewis) very much enjoy their independent lifestyle, particularly as more and more of their friends are settling down and having families. But fate has a different path in store for the wannabe adventurers when Zoe finds out she’s pregnant, and much further along than she originally anticipated. While Tim dives headfirst into preparing for fatherhood, Zoe finds the sudden change a little harder to deal with, heading out on a path of denial as the way of life she loves is threatened to be irrevocably changed.
Baby Done sets up its central drama very quickly. Zoe and Tim are established as young business owners who enjoy the outdoors, who are part of a network of friends in their late 20’s/early 30’s who are all changing and settling down all within the first five minutes. There isn’t a great amount of time spent with Zoe and Tim before they are met with the bombshell of their unplanned pregnancy, meaning that much of what we learn about the pair as a couple comes from their reaction to this rather big news. In these moments, it can feel as though we have been a little robbed of getting to know the pair a bit deeper, along with the chance of being able to gauge what sort of life they lead before it gets thrown a curveball.
Full review over at THN, originally published February 4th 2020.
Andrew Gaudion 