Nasty Baby

Chilean director Sebastián Silva has made a career out of exploring the point at which everyday life is blindsided by the unexpected - a tragedy in Magic Magic; a mushroom-powered meltdown in Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus. But even by his usual standards, Nasty Baby - the tale of a gay couple and their female friend trying to have a baby together - takes a startlingly unpredictable turn in the third act. It's a brilliant twist that transforms the wry, naturalistic loose-limbed drama which comes before into something far more abrasive and challenging. As well as writing and directing, Silva stars as Freddy, a performance artist who lives with his boyfriend Mo (Tunde Adebimpe). After six months of trying conceive a baby with his best friend Polly (Kristen Wiig), Freddy has to accept that his sperm count is too low. Instead, he and Polly persuade Mo to father the child. Silva captures the boho hipster milieu of the Brooklyn setting, but adds a sense of unease - a man with mental health issues, known as The Bishop, is a challenging presence in the comforting neighbourhood in the throes of gentrification.