The Tale (2018)

Some of the best movie-watching experiences I’ve ever had were when I went in blind. I decided to watch Sorry, Baby because the poster, which was shared on several cinema-loving corners of the Internet, had a woman holding a cat. It did not prepare me for the heaviness of the movie’s overall idea and plot.

Written and directed by Eva Victor, who also plays Agnes, the main character, Sorry, Baby is slow and artsy, but extremely effective. It shows how the trauma developed after a sexual assault has a ripple effect and loudly echoes in the victim and her life for years after.

The movie is split into 5 non-linear chapters, each representing a year of Agnes’ life, and it starts with the second chapter of her story, called “The Year with the Baby.” Her best friend, Lydie, comes to visit Agnes in her small, secluded house to tell her about her pregnancy and to share a friendly dinner with the English Literature group they were part of as grads in college. Lydie’s reaction is the only clue that something is not quite right with Agnes when someone mentions a former professor whom they all admired.

The second part of the movie, “The Year with the Bad Thing,” is the one that shows the pivotal moment that changed Agnes’ life forever. It takes us through the final year of Agnes, Lydie, and their friends as grad students, and shows their relationship with their advisor, the English Literature professor Preston Decker.