Baby Money – Fantasia Review (3/5)

BABY MONEY is a thriller with a simple plot that works well. It’s tense and intriguing with solid performances. A bit too slow at times, but still very entertaining. Screened at Fantasia 2021. Read our full Baby Money movie review here!

BABY MONEY is a new crime thriller driven by a few characters that you instantly get a feel for. The movie has a very simple plot which makes for solid entertainment.

Admittedly, it was a tad too slow at times, but still very much worth watching. The plot is tense, and the characters range from being irritating to very heartwarming.

Continue reading our Baby Money movie review below. We screened this movie during Fantasia 2021.

What’s in a title?

In the case of this movie, the title says everything you need to know. A young couple down on their luck are expecting a child. They need money for the baby which leads the soon-to-be-father to make a damn stupid decision: He’s going to participate in a home invasion for a substantial (but not impressive) amount.

The pregnant woman getting ready to become a mother is not on board with this plan. This is made very clear in the opening scene which offers both humor and sets the tone for their relationship. As she puts it, she wants a father for her child who is actually there and not in jail.

So basically, Baby Money very literally relates to the fact that they need money for the baby they’re about to become parents to and for.

Personally, I always enjoy watching movies where one moment and dumb decision (okay, maybe a few) leads to life-changing events. After all, that’s certainly something we can all relate to. Even if it’s – hopefully – on a smaller and very different scale than what we see in this movie.

Wonderful casting

While there is only a handful of characters in Baby Money, the two parents-to-be are the key characters and they’re played with heart and passion by Danay Garcia (Fear the Walking Dead)and Michael Drayer (Mr. Robot).

What I found especially interesting – if not annoying – was the all-too-realistic way future dad was reacting at times. He wanted to be a hero to his future child but also acted like a spoiled brat himself at times. Michael Drayer handles this duality very well and manages to never become too irritating.

Meanwhile, Danay Garcia is spot-on in her portrayal of a woman who is ready to go much further than she usually would. As she’s stated from the first scene, she wants the father’s child to actually be present.

Other key characters are portrayed by Joey Kern (Bloodsucking Bastards), who does an excellent job, and Taja V. Simpson (Lola) as the beating heart of this story.

Check out Baby Money on demand soon

Baby Money was co-directed by Mikhael Bassilli and Luc Walpoth. This is the feature film debut for Mikhael Bassilli who made a short film in 2017 but is otherwise a newcomer to directing movies. I never would have thought so from watching this new crime thriller which does work really well.

Of course, co-director Luc Walpoth has quite a few more short films under his belt. Still, this is also a feature film debut for him. He currently has two feature films in pre-production – including a film starring the amazing Thelma title role actor – so we should see more from him soon.

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The screenplay was also a co-production as it was written by Mikhael Bassilli and MJ Palo. Just like the other two filmmakers involved with Baby Money, MJ Palo is also at the beginning of her career as a filmmaker. She also has a lot of projects that are either completed, filming, or in pre or post-production.

Based on this movie, we should keep an eye on all three who were involved with writing and directing.

Baby Money screened at Fantasia 2021. It will also be out on-demand later this year.

Details

Directors: Mikhael Bassilli, Luc Walpoth
Writers: Mikhael Bassilli, MJ Palo
Stars: Danay Garcia, Michael Drayer, Joey Kern, Taja V. Simpson, Robert Mammana, Eric Davis