Chuck Chuck Baby

Written and directed by Welsh filmmaker Janis Pugh, Chuck Chuck Baby is an endearingly peculiar and simultaneously uplifting comedy-drama with a musical twist. Set in a small town on the Welsh border, the film centres around Helen (Louise Brealey), a quietly reserved woman who works at a hilariously unhygienic chicken processing factory. Moreover, she stays in a cramped home alongside her ex-husband (Celyn Jones), his girlfriend (Emily Fairn) and infant son, and elderly mother figure, Gwen (Sorcha Cusack), the only person who genuinely cares about her. Everything changes, however, when Joanne (Annabel Scholey) arrives back in town. With both women harbouring feelings for each other when they were younger, now might finally be the time for them to act on their love.

There’s a sense of surrealness to this flick’s presentation that gives it the feeling of a strange fever dream. Except for Helen, Joanne and Gwen, every character is a zany caricature that adds plenty of personality to events. The strangest part of all, though, is how Pugh implements musical numbers. Unlike conventional all-singing-all-dancing moments where characters spontaneously burst into boisterous ballads, the musical sequences here come from the characters singing along to the radio. While these performances don’t have the pizzaz that audiences expect from the genre, this charming idea does give rise to some memorably wonderful moments, such as when Helen sings along to Minnie Riperton’s Les Fleurs while the other factory workers throw chickens in the air in a celebratory dance. It’s very weird, but it works.

The plot itself, however, is as standard as it gets. The script goes through all the usual motions that are common for an uplifting romance like this. What sells it, though, is the remarkable performances from Brealey and Scholey. Both actors bring tonnes of charm to the table, with it being hard for viewers not to root for them.

Although the story isn’t anything that filmgoers haven’t seen before, Chuck Chuck Baby’s uniquely strange twist on the genre makes for a magnificently entertaining time that doesn’t sacrifice any of the emotional stakes.

Andrew Murray

Chuck Chuck Baby is released in select cinemas on 19^th July 2024.

Watch the trailer for Chuck Chuck Baby here: