The Baby Formula

In the near future—at least as depicted in this Toronto-set dramedy, which is an expansion of director Alison Reid's 2006 short film Succubus—women can conceive without males, although the creation of a new artificial sperm is causing controversy. Project director Dr. Oldenfield (R.D. Reid) explains, “People think we're making men obsolete. We're simply making them unnecessary.” Stunt-coordinator-turned-director Reid plays a documentarian making a film about the first women to take the leap, lesbian couple Athena (Angela Vint), who successfully undergoes the procedure, and Lilith (Megan Fahlenbock). From the start, it's clear that some tension exists between the two (coincidentally, both actresses were visibly pregnant during production, adding to the verisimilitude). As it turns out, Lilith also participated in the project but neglected to tell her partner, so one pregnancy becomes two, after which their families become involved. Athena's brother claims that Lilith is carrying his child, and her Christian mother, Wanda (Rosemary Dunsmore), simply disapproves—of both Athena's sexual orientation and her means of conception. Lilith's adoptive parents (her uncle and his partner) are fine with their daughter's lifestyle but have issues of their own. Only Athena's slightly batty Scottish grandmother, Kate (Jessica Booker), accepts the situation—assuming that she even understands what's going on. Until Athena's father, Larry (Dmitry Chepovetsky), makes a poignant revelation toward the end, both sets of parents come across as stereotypes more than fully realized characters. Although the premise is intriguing, the poorly drawn secondary roles drag the film down. Still, this should be considered a strong optional purchase. (K. Fennessy)