• Release year: 2026
• Director: Tyler-Marie Evans.
• Producers: Ashley Benson, Christine Vachon, and Jordan Wagner.
• Screenplay by: Tyler-Marie Evans.
• Cinematography by: Lauren Guiteras.
• Music by: Roman Molino Dunn.

Shotgun Commentary: a yassified look into sex work and sexual abuse.

Review

Pretty Babies showcases the most aesthetically pleasing way to present a nightmare. With no clear ending or resolution whatsoever, this claustrophobic journey is tragically predictible, surrealistically shiny, and ultimately unsurprising in its message.

Women, amirite?

The perils of female existence are a topic that surprises no woman ever. Still, it fills you with hope and a sense of validation to see other people acknowledge and denounce them. After getting gaslit by doctors about your pain, by policemen about your fears, by politicians about your body, and by society about your own sense of self, any content that says, ‘I see you; you are not crazy,’ is one that women easily cling to.

Sadly, this need to be seen and acknowledged is also exploited as a label under which anyone can sell pretty much anything, including terrible movies with nice aesthetics but no actual message whatsoever. Pretty packaging and a message that tricks you into thinking it has a groundbreaking feminist meaning when it actually does not is a combo that works frustratingly well in the industry; look no further than X (2022) or The Substance (2024). As such, it is more than understandable that one would approach a movie about sex work and female exploitation with more than a few reservations, even if that movie happens to be directed by a woman.

The not-so-secret secret

Luckily, one cannot say that Pretty Babies is bad or misguided in the same way the aforementioned movies definitely are. This feature is merely simplistic in the way it approaches its topics, which is not necessarily a bad proposal, but it does render the story a touch frustrating. ‘We have to prove that we can take it. That we’re strong enough,’ says one of the protagonists in what makes for the perfect summary of the film’s message. Again, that women must suffer quietly and smile through it at all times in order to feel like they’ve earned their place in society is a tragic reality that takes no woman by surprise.

We are used to having our grievances minimised, our interests ridiculised, and our opinions ignored. Complaining makes you ‘difficult’, assertive behaviour makes you ‘a bitch’, and you feel the constant need to outperform every single person in your company just to maybe not feel inadequate or undeserving for one day. So is it really that far-fetched to think that two young girls who want to be actresses would prostitute themselves to experience the worst of the industry in order to feel like they deserve the best of it too? No, not really.

Conflicting final thoughts

In that sense, the feature is straightforward and raw about what it is like to be a young woman trying to find one’s way in life. The melancholic tone dressed in neons and sparkles makes the comparison with Spring Breakers (2012) hard to ignore, especially with Ashley Benson on screen as well.

This film showcases the very specific story of two girls and how their impossible dream and their zero initiative to achieve it lead them down a dark path out of which it is hard to crawl. It stands on the extended stereotype of ‘men are pigs’, which is a reality more often than anyone would like, and it proposes a life in which not one single person manages to not be toxic. A depressing story so saturated with glitter that it almost resembles a pop music video.

All in all, Pretty Babies is a good film despite ultimately having nothing particularly new to say. In a world without Epstein files, abortion bans and constant breaches of international laws, this might have felt like a radical story. Regrettably, we do not live in such a world, so the account is more of a sad drama that will not stick around in your head for long.

Pretty Babies has had its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival! Its theatrical release is yet to be announced.

Advice to take from this movie:

• If your friend tells you to jump off a cliff… Don’t.
• Glitter is a perfectly acceptable form of make-up for people who don’t have the time or patience for actual accuracy.
• There is something really wrong with the world. The sooner we acknowledge that, the better.

What’s your take? Have you watched Pretty Babies? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message on my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀