Writer-director Janis Pugh’s feature film debut, the musical love story Chuck Chucky Baby, opens with a neon sign for the titular chicken packing plant where our protagonist, the middle-aged and working-class Helen (Louise Brealey), works. We follow a dandelion puff as it flows on the wind through a working-class neighborhood - “A LAND NOT SO FAR AWAY,” a title card tells us—until landing in Helen’s pink bedroom. She lives with her ex-husband, Gary (Celyn Jones), his girlfriend and their newborn, and his mother, Gwen (Sorcha Cusack). Helen’s childhood crush, Joanne (Annabel Scholey), moves back to town after the death of her despicable, abusive father. Is it too late for Helen to pursue love and a fresh start? Is it too late for Joanne?
Like if Dancer in the Dark told a story of hope rather than utter devastation, Chuck Chuck Baby is a musical in its purest essence. Its characters sing along to life’s “background” music—whether playing from a car radio or a childhood turntable - to express their innermost turmoil and desires, romanticizing a plain life through song. During a poignant singalong on Helen’s morning commute, she sings, “Well I’ve got an emptiness deep inside. I’ve tried, but it won’t let me go.” We not only know exactly how Helen feels, we relate. Who hasn’t sung their feelings through the Monday morning traffic?
In addition to these more realistic moments, Chuck Chuck Baby does indulge in the occasional, magical dance number, like an Umbrellas of Cherbourg homage as Helen admits to herself (and the audience) her affection for Joanne: “Rain, won’t you tell her that I love her so?” The film’s social themes carry on the legacy of Britain’s kitchen sink dramas (minus the “angry young men”) while the colorful art direction and love story reads like something out of a Demy movie, the choreography like if Busby Berkeley had to work with raw chicken.
Louise Brealey leads the film with a natural, breezy performance as Helen, radiating both charm and depth. It’s touching to watch Joanne and Helen heal their inner children while playing with a doll and stilts, listening to music on a boombox, openly enjoying what they couldn’t all those years ago. Helen grew up in a Catholic girls’ home until Gwen graciously took her in and Joanne feels haunted by the past, reminded by the whole neighborhood of her father’s cruelties. Their joy in each other’s company protests their isolated, joyless childhoods and serves as an act of love for their adult selves.
Prior to her inevitable exit, Gwen—a touching, sweet performance from Sorcha Cusack—tells Helen, “Women like us, we’re just a number. We live by the clock. Spend every day serving someone or something.” And, at least in their town, she's right. The chicken packing plant relies on the labor of a ragtag crew of women, who laugh through the monotonous days and at how the world perceives them. The local young women eye their older counterparts with disdain, though their futures likely lead to the same blue jumpsuits and chicken feathers. In an existence defined by inevitabilities, will Joanne and Helen pursue something uncertain?
A love letter to the working class—like a Dead Poet’s Society for the invisible women who carry the world on their shoulders - Chuck Chuck Baby celebrates the humor, joy, music, friendship, and love that keeps us alive. Janis Pugh’s film would make a splendid fit alongside musicals both classic and contemporary in any film collection, a surprisingly under-seen gem. Chuck Chuck Baby's class-conscious, lesbian love story sings out a universal truth: It’s not too late. Editor's Choice
What kind of film series would Chuck Chuck Baby fit in?
Chuck Chuck Baby would fit into a British film series as a contemporary title, alongside standout, classic titles of the kitchen sink realism movement, like A Taste of Honey or The Leather Boys. The film would also bring something unique and exciting to a series of movie musicals!
What kind of film collection would Chuck Chuck Baby be suitable for?
Chuck Chucky Baby would be suitable for any collection of narrative films, but especially those that specialize in musicals, LGBTQ+ titles, or British film.
How would Chuck Chuck Baby make your organization stand out?
Chuck Chuck Baby has yet to find a large audience in the U.S., so your organization would likely introduce this title to their patrons! A class-conscious musical with a lesbian love story would stand out in a world of La La Lands and Disney live-action remakes.