_{By: Amanda Guarragi}

Oh, Baby! is a comedic narrative short that follows Jane (Kate Morgan Chadwick): a thirty-something pregnant woman having a baby on her own. Hormones are out of whack for her, and she is seeking some sort of relief. She is empowered, single, and yes she wants to have sex, but no strings attached. She scrolls through Bumble and lands on Ben. They end up going out for dinner, a couple of jokes are exchanged and with many drinks later, they end up back at her place.

This short film felt like a breath of fresh air. From the opening frame, co-writer and director Brooke Trantor presented Jane in such a natural way. A woman, looking at herself in the mirror before going on date. She acknowledges her flaws, perks herself up, and goes on this date. What I value the most is honesty when sharing stories about modern dating. The date between Jane and Ben was incredibly awkward, but it was still fun to see them embrace each other. It felt very natural and everyone can relate to that situation. The awkwardness of first dates, the anxiety that comes with it, and the doubts.

Trantor made some strong choices with the music in the second half of this short. Once Ben and Jane got back to the apartment, the awkward sex was audible, and the discussion to try different positions was hilarious. We see the realistic nature of what sex actually is. It’s an act between two people, trying to make it work. Then once they hit their stride, the music overpowers their moans, and the tone shifts. It shifts from playful and awkward, to a powerful, sensual act.

Oh, Baby! presents a different side of motherhood, that we haven’t quite seen before. Trantor and Chadwick wanted to dive into the mental state of a single mother, who is struggling with her hormones and her pregnancy. She also shows the strength of women and how their mental state constantly changes. She shows such a range of emotions when exploring this one night and how Jane is handling it. This was such a refreshing take on motherhood, modern dating, and mental health, really enjoyed watching this.

Oh, Baby! will be in the competitive shorts block on September 4th, 2021 at 1:30 PM! You can buy tickets here www.danceswithfilms.com at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.