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Time Magazine
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
Eva Victor on Finding a New Vocabulary for Trauma in 'Sorry, Baby'
Pop culture has come a long way from 1980s cinema's deployment of sexual assault as a gag (a la John Hughes' Sixteen Candles). But the grammar movies and television use to dramatize such crimes remains by and large unsophisticated. Even #MeToo thrillers and biopics, the projects that on paper appear most likely to confront the subject with the deftest hand, have been known to whiff on their promise; they either treat the abuse as the character, as in Blonde, or the character as a cypher, as in Promising Young Woman, and as such, fail to fulfill their promise as cultural commentary. Maybe these projects can be forgiven for the letdown; assault isn't easy to talk about, to reenact on set, or to watch on screen. It might just take another perspective on the subject—say, that of a comedian—to compel pop culture to expand its visual vocabulary for telling stories about it. Enter Eva Victor, whose feature debut, Sorry, Baby, premiered at Sundance earlier this year to hosannas (including a screenwriting prize) and sold to A24 for a reported $8 million at a festival where buyers weren't shelling out for much. Chief among its praises was that the movie depicts the utterly life-change effect of sexual violence on a victim while simultaneously depicting how the world continues to turn, inexorably, after they've been attacked. 'Something bad happened to Agnes,' reads the official synopsis. 'But life goes on - for everyone around her, at least.' Victor's background as a writer for sites like Reductress, and perhaps especially their Twitter video sketches (where they frantically rant about, for instance, the bright side of the USPS getting dismantled), inform the tone of Sorry, Baby. The humor comes easily but not at the expense of the somber reality it attempts to capture. Apart from writing and directing, Victor plays the lead, Agnes, a grad student in a small, rural town trudging through her days, coming to terms with an assault she endured by her advisor and professor, Preston (Louis Cancelmi); the film takes a chronologically disordered structure, beginning a year after the attack, then flashing back to that time in her life, and to that moment, orchestrated with a chilling sense of distance—a contrast to bubblier moments between Agnes and her best friend, Lydie (Naomi Ackie), who has since moved to New York City, and on with her life. Sorry, Baby doesn't make light of what happens to Agnes. Rather it finds lightness in spite of it. Here, humor—sardonic, wry, and silly—is a balm. Since its Sundance debut, the film has played many festivals, from Cannes to Independent Film Festival Boston, which picked Sorry, Baby as the capstone for this year's edition of the fest. (The film's production took place 30 miles north of the city, in the coastal town of Ipswich, though Victor's buzz was just as much the reason for attending the fest's closing night as their choice in shooting locations.) While in town for the April festival, Victor sat down to talk about how Sorry, Baby leans on comedy to express the experience of living post-assault. Excerpts of that conversation are below, ahead of the movie's June 27 theatrical release. Victor: Totally. It's interesting, because I think of Agnes as very isolated, which is in some ways the opposite of privacy; isolation is being alone, not by choice, but because you're running from something, like your fear that people will devastate you, and so you make yourself lonely for that reason. Whereas privacy is you saying, 'I've chosen to give myself this time as an act of care for myself.' I do think that as an artist, I crave privacy because that is when you get to really check in with yourself. It's really hard to check in with yourself when you're surrounded by voices, and people. There are conscious things and subconscious things in the film that people are telling me about that are interesting, but I think Agnes is maybe on the dark side of that coin. There's very little people are pointing out in terms of threads in the film that I didn't plan. Because you spend so much time working on every element of the film, there's nothing you see on screen that's not been thought out, or tried a different way; everything you see is a choice. I can explain to you why every single thing exists in the film as it does. The thing I find really exciting is when people notice threads in the film that were more intense in the script, but had to get cut down for different reasons. I love a watcher who sees those little things, and pulls out little secrets that are in the film–but I can't tell you [what they are] because someone will have to watch it to see them. But I do like when people watch with a curious eye about why certain things are happening at certain points in the film; there are little secrets along the way. So much of the joy of making a film is you do your part in creating the film as well as you can to be as effective as possible for you, and then people come to it and find what they need to find in it. That's the joy of being a moviegoer: you get to take from a film what you want. It exists to be something for different people, and to exist in these really specific ways based on what you're coming in with. In terms of humor, it's a really powerful coping mechanism, and it gets you through really dark days. Things are so bizarre and absurd sometimes that laughing is the only way through, and I do think a lot of the funny stuff happens when Agnes and Lydie are able to be witnesses together. Things are a little less funny when Lydie's not there, but when Lydie's there, they're this united front; they're kind of like warriors in this thing together, in this weird world. I think the reason the doctor scene, without giving too much away, lands is because both Agnes and Lydie are contending with how absurd the moment is, but they have each other. On some level, if Lydie's there, you know that Agnes will be okay. Yeah. And, when Agnes is alone, these two women are creating a real gaslighting energy, and she has no one to convene with and say, 'That was weird, right?' She's completely alone, and these women are so unified. Building the tone after the middle of the film was about figuring out how humor moves through that. There's the doctor scene, which does have some humor to it; then the HR scene, which is her by herself, gets a lot darker. And then she runs into Gavin, played by Lucas Hedges, and then there's comedy in that scene because of the absurdity of Agnes coming in really hot and Gavin being this whimsical neighbor. So, it's about finding ways for the humor to go through these waxing and waning moments in the film, and taking the audience along for that journey. Watching this made me think about the way media sensationalizes trauma. [The film] is holistic in the sense that Agnes' life is shaped by what happens to her, but it isn't the entire movie; we aren't forcibly living in that sensation the entire time. I wonder if you feel that we need to develop our language to talk about that theme. Totally. I only know how to talk about my experience with this film, but it's really interesting; the film does a deliberate job at giving you the language it wants to use. The film calls it the 'bad thing,' and the only person who says the word 'rape' is the doctor. So the film is carefully moving through the language of that topic, and it's interesting reading the way people write about the film so far, because we deliberately have a log line that's meant to be more holistic. I don't want anyone to feel surprised in a scary way seeing the film, but it's meant to hold one's hand while watching it, and it's interesting having writers use the word 'rape' or use the phrase 'sexual assault,' which makes sense; I understand. But it's a really interesting experience, since the film tries to create its own language for this topic. I don't know if our world has all the words it needs to talk about this, and I think our world really has trouble with nuance. It's good that there's more work about this, because every experience of sexual trauma is different, and everyone deserves a voice in speaking about their own experience; I hope that we get to a place where we understand how to talk about it without it being crass, or maybe not crass, but violent. I don't know. I'm figuring it out. I definitely know how I want to talk about it, and everything I want to say is in the film. So watch the film and you can figure out what I think. You mention nuance; that's something hard to come by. I feel like empathy is key. I wish that whenever I've had panic attacks while driving, John Carroll Lynch would've shown up and handed me a sandwich. Me too. That's why I made that happen for myself. Well, you have that divine power. You can make that happen for yourself. Yeah. He's wonderful. He is. Now at the risk of stating the obvious, that feels important; that scene contrasts with the scene with the doctor, the scene with HR, where there's zero empathy whatsoever. Yes, the doctor calls 'the bad thing' what it is; but he should care about how that makes others feel. Did that play into your calculus? 'How is this word going to make the people I'm showing the movie to feel?' Yeah, definitely. I made the film for the person I was that needed this film, so making sure nothing felt what would've been incredibly triggering to me, to the point where I couldn't watch it, felt important. In terms of empathy, it's an interesting question; looking at the doctor, and looking at the HR women, they're people doing what their job told them to do. These are the institutions that make it hard for people to feel safe after something horrible happens, and they are the facilitators of that. But they're not evil in their core; they're trying to do their jobs. It's just that they don't understand that their job is doing something hurtful. With the professor, Preston, Louis [Cancelmi] and I spent so much time talking about the real warmth and respect he has to have for Agnes in the scenes we see him in, so that the audience doesn't see him as a bad guy until she does. We didn't want to undermine Agnes' experience of him by showing that he has these dark colors, until it's too late, which is what Agnes experiences too. Each character being as complicated as possible, in the midst of this intense story about something really scary, was a way through it for me; it's not about good and evil, it's about these people who are incredibly flawed, who are incredibly hurtful.
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Martin Clunes to star in huge Hollywood movie with Margot Robbie
Doc Martin star Martin Clunes has signed up for a huge-budget film that will see him star alongside Margot Robbie as well as Euphoria actor Jacob Elordi Martin Clunes is set to star in a major Hollywood film, alongside big names like Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. The Doc Martin actor's next role will be in the upcoming Wuthering Heights, directed by Emerald Fennell, slated for release in February 2026. However, many details about the film remain a secret. In a recent interview with The i Paper, Martin unveiled his involvement in this "massive, Warner Brothers, huge-budget movie, all built on sets at Elstree". He will take on the character of Mr Earnshaw, father of Catherine Earnshaw, in Wuthering Heights. Margot Robbie is set to play Catherine, while Jacob Elordi will portray Heathcliff. Other cast members include Hong Chau as Nelly Dean and Shazad Latif as Edgar Linton, with Alison Oliver playing Isabella Linton. Owen Cooper, Charlotte Mellington, and Vy Nguyen will also feature as young Heathcliff, teenage Catherine, and young Nelly respectively, reports Wales Online. Wuthering Heights is based on Emily Brontë's 1847 novel of the same name, which explores the turbulent relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff, an orphan adopted by Catherine's family. If the film stays true to the book, audiences can anticipate a gripping story of love and revenge set in 19th-century Yorkshire, with themes of social class, obsession, and love taking centre stage. Emerald is set for her third venture with LuckyChap Entertainment, the production company helmed by Margot Robbie, her spouse Tom Ackerley, and Josey McNamara. She has previously joined forces with them for the acclaimed films Promising Young Woman and Saltburn. Although Emerald has kept quiet about the particulars of her upcoming adaptation of Wuthering Heights, her fascination with gothic themes is no secret. In a piece for the Los Angeles Times, Emerald confided: "I've always been obsessed with the gothic. Whether it was Edward Gorey's children who are variously choked by peaches, sucked dry by leeches or smothered by rugs; Du Maurier's imperilled heroines or the disturbing erotic power of Angela Carter's fairy tales, the gothic world has always had me in its grip." She continued: "It's a genre where comedy and horror, revulsion and desire, sex and death are forever entwined, where every exchange is heavy with the threat of violence, or sex or both."
Wales Online
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Martin Clunes to star in 'huge-budget' Hollywood movie with Oscar nominee
Martin Clunes to star in 'huge-budget' Hollywood movie with Oscar nominee Doc Martin actor Martin Clunes has revealed his next acting role and he's set to star opposite some huge names Martin Clunes is due to star in a new film (Image: HGL/WireImage ) Martin Clunes is set to feature in a huge Hollywood movie, opposite the likes of Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. The Doc Martin star's next acting role will be in next year's Wuthering Heights, directed by Emerald Fennell. The film is set for release in February 2026, but many other details have been kept under wraps so far. Martin revealed his role in a new interview, as he reased he's due to star in a " massive, Warner Brothers, huge-budget movie, all built on sets at Elstree " while talking with The i Paper. The actor will portray Mr Earnshaw, father of Catherine Earnshaw, in Wuthering Heights. Catherine is due to be played by Margot, while Jacob takes on the role of Heathcliff. Martin Clunes will appear in Wuthering Heights (Image: David Buchan/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images ) Elsewhere, Hong Chau plays Nelly Dean and Shazad Latif portrays Edgar Linton, while Alison Oliver stars as Isabella Linton. Also making up the cast are Owen Cooper, playing a young Heathcliff, Charlotte Mellington, portraying teenage Catherine and Vy Nguyen as young Nelly. Article continues below Wuthering Heights is an adaptation of Emily Brontë's 1847 novel of the same name, which tells the story of the tumultuous relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff, an orphan adopted by Catherine's family. If the film is to reflect the book accurately, film fans can expect an intense tale of love and revenge, set in 19th-century Yorkshire. Themes of social class, obsession and love feature heavily. Margot Robbie will also star in the new film (Image: Getty ) It marks Emerald's third collaboration with LuckyChap Entertainment, which is run by Margot, her husband Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara. Emerald teamed up with the company to make the films Promising Young Woman and Saltburn. While she has not disclosed any details about Wuthering Heights, she has spoken about being "obsessed with the gothic" in the past. Writing for the Los Angeles Times, Emerald disclosed: "I've always been obsessed with the gothic. Whether it was Edward Gorey's children who are variously choked by peaches, sucked dry by leeches or smothered by rugs; Du Maurier's imperilled heroines or the disturbing erotic power of Angela Carter's fairy tales, the gothic world has always had me in its grip. Article continues below "It's a genre where comedy and horror, revulsion and desire, sex and death are forever entwined, where every exchange is heavy with the threat of violence, or sex or both." Wuthering Heights will be released 13 February 2026
The Hindu
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Echo Valley' movie review: Julianne Moore shines in this routine thriller
A horse farm in Pennsylvania serves as the setting for this rural noir. Written by Brad Ingelsby, the brains behind the stunning Mare of Easttown, Echo Valley is a by-the-numbers thriller made watchable by the luminescent Julianne Moore. Grieving for the death of her wife in a riding accident, Kate (Julianne Moore), is struggling to run Echo Valley, a horse farm, they ran together. When the contractor gloomily says repairing the roof would cost $9,000, Kate asks her wealthy ex-husband, Richard, (Kyle MacLachlan) for the money. Echo Valley (English) Director: Michael Pearce Cast: Julianne Moore, Sydney Sweeney, Domhnall Gleeson, Kyle MacLachlan, Fiona Shaw Runtime: 103 minutes Storyline: A grieving widow goes to extreme lengths to keep her troubled daughter safe Richard unwillingly writes her cheque, chastising her for indulging their heroin-addicted daughter, Claire (Sydney Sweeney), who is in and out of rehab. Richard also tells Kate to sell the farm as it is not turning a profit and it does not make sense to throw good money after bad. Late one night, Claire visits Kate, dragging in all her problems as well. There is her druggie boyfriend, Ryan (Edmund Donovan), the scary drug dealer, Jackie (Domhnall Gleeson), a deficit of $10,000 and a body to dispose off. Kate is willing to go any lengths to protect Claire, who knows it and manipulates her mother. Though there is a body and a police investigation, Echo Valley is more of a relationship drama with thriller elements thrown in. That the said ingredients would hardly have you gnawing your nails in suspense wondering what happens next, does not do the mercifully short movie any favours. Echo Valley is propped by excellent acting starting with Moore who invests so much into her character that we are forced to do the same. She is tough and broken, grieving and warm, caring and razor sharp. Sweeney is excellent as the damaged Clair who is like a wrecking ball destroying everything in her path. Gleeson makes it easy to hate the execrable Jackie, which says a lot about his acting prowess. Fiona Shaw (Maarva from Andor) as Kate's best friend, Jessie, provides a hearty anchor to all the fraught proceedings. Produced by Ridley Scott and Ingelsby, among others, another plus in Echo Valley's court is Benjamin Kračun's (Promising Young Woman, The Substance) lovely frames. There seems to be a misty beauty to the constant rain, the rolling greens and the serene lake. The horses as always are a sight for sore eyes and there is also the dog, Cooper, who knows more than he is letting on. Not as nuanced as it could have been, Echo Valley's cast and cinematography manage to make it watchable. Echo Valley is currently streaming on Apple TV+
7NEWS
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
Barbie star Margot Robbie's LuckyChap office gets a very glam makeover
Barbie star and producer Margot Robbie has just unveiled the stylish renovation of her LuckyChap office in Los Angeles. Along with her LuckyChap co-founders, Tom Ackerley (her husband) and Josey McNamara, the star worked with London-based architectural designer Scarlett Hessian to reimagine the former fish market. Despite not considering herself an "office person", in an interview with Architectural Digest Robbie said she has found herself utilising the new space more than she thought she would. "I don't like sitting in one room for a long time-I get antsy," she told the publication. "So as beautiful as my office is, and it's incredibly beautiful, I spend way more time there than I ever imagined I would." Loading Instagram Post Responsible for critically acclaimed hits such as I, Tonya, Promising Young Woman, Barbie and new Netflix series Sirens, the production company's first office was the kitchen bench of a London apartment. A decade later and the trio were ready to plan a space that was truly their own. With an "aversion to conference rooms" and wanting it to "feel like a creative space, not a resume", the co-founders enlisted their friend and collaborator Hessian to create their dream office. "When they first showed me the building, I was a bit horrified, to be honest," the architectural designer told AD. However, once she stepped past the unassuming exterior, Hessian was impressed by the "quietly cinematic" interiors, especially the high ceilings and airy mezzanine. "We decided to lean into its midcentury style and bring in a mix of European pieces to give it personality," she said. The result is a chic, light-filled office with bold, vibrant artworks punctuating the space. The office opens into a warm, mid-century style waiting area, a room that Robbie said was previously "pretty stark" and "industrial feeling." "We needed a place when people were coming in for meetings where they could wait and feel comfortable," Robbie said in an office tour video with AD. With double-height ceilings, statement pendant lights, and a centrepiece mint green sofa, Hessian said the room feels very 1950s to her. "It's not an uncomfortable waiting room, you're not too close to anybody," Hessian said. "The tones throughout the space are all comfortable and soft." Hessian and Robbie made the decision to keep an exposed rock wall to lean into the mid-century vibe: "It's still fun, but elevated and sophisticated at the same time," Robbie said. While there may not be much Barbie pink around, mementos from the film are utilised in surprising ways throughout the space, including the reupholstered chairs from the Mattel office scene with Will Ferrell and a blush-pink conference table. Another stunning room is the oak panelled kitchen featuring a palette of warm, neutral tones and stone bench tops. When it came to Robbie's office, Hessian said she specifically designed multiple work areas including a spacious desk and laptop table that slides out onto a plush sofa as the star is "not a sitting type". Instead, Robbie told AD she typically preferred to work outside: "I'm not very good at being inside. So if I'm reading scripts, having lunch, or having meetings, I go out onto the terrace." The sun-filled terrace features pops of deep green and bright red and includes a marble table, sofa set, and an assortment of trees and flowers. The renovation comes after Robbie and Ackerley welcomed their first baby, a boy born in October last year. Robbie has since returned to work and is starring in Emerald Fennell's much-anticipated adaptation of Emily Bronte's novel Wuthering Heights.
