In her feature-length debut, American Baby, filmmaker Ellen Rodnianski cunningly explores what it would be like to be a pregnant teen in contemporary Small Town, Texas. It’s a film about alienation and connection; a coming-of-age tale about having no choice but to grow up. It may be slightly rough around the edges, but that only adds to the lo-fi charm of Rodnianski’s cinematic baby.
Olivia (Abigail Pniowsky) is the aforementioned pregnant 15-year-old, stuck in Small Town, Texas. The baby’s father, Toby (Elisha Henig), is missing. Oli gets suspended for the rest of the school year. “What you did was immoral,” she’s told, her attempt at invoking the law blatantly disregarded. The film jumps between the present and the events leading up to it.
An unfortunate sequence of events leads to Oli and Toby being forcefully locked in a car garage by bullies. Next thing you know, she’s expecting. Issues arise: Toby’s commitment, financial worries, insecurity about keeping the baby, being looked down upon, friendships… There’s also Oli’s divorced Ukrainian mom (Janel Koloski), which adds an extra layer of baggage to the load our hero’s already carrying.
Oli stares down at a pregnancy test in her bedroom in American Baby.
“An unfortunate sequence of events led to Oli and Toby being forcefully locked in a car garage by bullies.”
The film maintains a fine balance of grim and humorous. When a fellow student commits suicide, Olivia questions it publicly: “Why?” “There is no ‘why’ in God’s divine law,” comes the solemn response. In another instance, Oli wonders, for good reason: “Why wouldn’t I get pregnant if I’m on top?” “Gravity,” her friend states, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “You don’t have to give birth,” Oli’s friend, Miriam (Claire Capek) suggests. But Olivia is too scared of the Almighty to terminate the pregnancy.
Christianity is a major part of the narrative. God’s watchful eye observes the proceedings closely. The filmmaker seems to love the religion, question it, and condemn it. It’s rather fascinating to see the theme ebb and flow, webbing itself into each frame. What would God have to say about that? The filmmaker explores the challenges contemporary society imposes on a pregnant teen, and does so elegantly, with delicate brushstrokes and shades as opposed to thick, obvious ones.
Pniowsky anchors the narrative in a stellar lead performance. Quiet and vulnerable but also resolute and strong, her Oli overcomes a variety of obstacles with her head held high. And even when it’s not, the young actress makes it relatable and fresh, adding a much-needed emotional center to the plot. Just the searing scene wherein Oli pounds her belly, slams it against the table — “get out of my body!” — leaves little doubt that this young performer has a bright future ahead of her.
At just over 80 minutes, American Baby is a succinct and down-to-earth slice of Americana, immersing us into the private lives of small-town teens. There’s no sugarcoating here. Actions and their consequences are presented simply, with no embellishments. Rodnianski and her co-writer Tanya Leonova clearly know this world and display it in all its beauty and ugliness, vulgarity and poetry. For many, it will hit close to home.
"…for many, it will hit close to home..."
