I watched it as I saw Kristen Wiig was in it. I knew if she chose to be part of an independent film than it was going to be worth watching. The depth and imperfections in each character were beautiful. There is no doubt that everyone who performed in this movie believed in it and did it for the art and beauty of a great film. I am unfamiliar with most of the other actors in the film but I loved them all. I will keep an eye out for more of these passion projects as they are worth the time to see. There was nothing Hollywood about this movie. Nothing looked like set, wardrobe or hair and make up. It truly looked like I was part of the lives of the characters, which I do not often find. Everyone who took part in this film should be very proud as it's a great work of art.

Sebastian Silva's Nasty Baby is a movie that features a tonal shift so abrupt you find yourself questioning the likelihood of the behaviour you are witnessing. It seems forced and unrealistic, as though the writer, director and star (all Silva) knew he had this destination in mind, but didn't really know how to get us there.He's done tonal shifts before, and much better, in Crystal Fairy, for example, which was a kind of quirky comedy until an absolutely poignant moment toward the end almost had me in tears.In Nasty Baby, the shift is handled with a plot device we've all seen before, so it feels like the movie wants to move into thriller territory without warning. Perhaps because it feels so unrealistic it's hard to take seriously as anything other than typical-for-that-genre fare. It finishes with the trio - two bearded gay men and a woman, trying to get pregnant - needing to dispose of a body. They didn't mean to kill him, but it happened in self defense. Why doesn't the Silva character call the police as soon as it happens? "He'll get deported," his boyfriend says. Is he an illegal immigrant? He must be the only one who also has a job as a trendy artist. Most illegal immigrants work for peanuts. If he is worried about deportation, why is he in such a high profile career?Nasty Baby starts like a Nicole Holofcener drama, with quirky, believable characters trying to work out with what they want for themselves and each other. Silva should have watched one of Holofcener's movies to see that that would have been enough: perhaps he thinks an abrupt tonal shift is required of him now. It doesn't look like the movie believes it either.Another thing: why on Earth is the elderly gay neighbour so efficient at disposing of corpses? He almost seems to smile when he sees the body. What is up with *that*?

Pretty lousy for the most part, though it does arrive at a compelling (if not original) conclusion. Director Sebastian Silva stars along with Tunde Adebimpe as a gay couple in New York City who are thinking about having a baby with their best friend, Kristen Wiig. Not much really happens plotwise for the first hour or so, though a conflict arises between the trio and a mentally unhinged, homophobic man who lives in their neighborhood (Reg E. Cathey). He often follows Wiig around in a threatening manner, and likes to throw homophobic slurs at Silva and Adebimpe as they walk down the street. Alia Shawkat (who co-produced! How desperate do you have to be to hit Alia Shawkat up for money?) and Mark Margolis also co-star.

Films are like visiting a city. Mainstream movies cover the big attraction: Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedra, and Musée du Louvre. Indie films take you through the back streets and occasionally you get a tour of the underbelly of a city. "Nasty Baby" by filmmaker Sebastián Silva takes you on a back ally tour of the character of ordinary people. We all like to think we know what we will do in hypothetical situations. The truth is often we don't. This movie starts off pleasant enough with likable, real character; but from the start there is a slow burn that is building towards some unwanted destination. This movie takes you around the big attractions of a city and delivers you via the characters in places you would never expect to visit or would want to go. Check out "Nasty Baby" if you get a chance.