Chuck Chuck Baby


Helen (Louise Brealey, "Brian and Charles"), who sleeps alone in a single bed, covers herself when her husband Gary (Celyn Jones, "The Almond and the Seahorse") enters carrying a baby, earning his derision.  But that baby belongs to his live-in girlfriend Amy (Emily Fairn) and his own mother, Gwen (Sorcha Cusack, "Snatch"), cared for on her death bed by Helen, declares they are both in a prison.  But Helen’s life is about to take a huge U-Turn when she goes to work at the local chicken processing plant, “Chuck Chuck Baby.”


Laura's Review: B-

Backed by an almost all female crew, writer/director Janis Pugh’s musical ode to female sisterhood is a flawed but uplifting embrace of celebrating love where you find it.  (For those wondering why that title isn’t “Cluck Cluck Baby,” in Britain, where the film is set, the word ‘chuck’ is slang for both shutting up and ending a romantic relationship, which makes a bit more sense.)

The loving relationship between Helen and her wonderful mother-in-law is the only respite she gets at home, but at work she has a circle of friends that includes Paula (Beverly Rudd, "Into the Woods"), Clare (Cat Simmons), Lynn (Emily Aston) and Katrina (Edyta Budnik).  They erupt in joy at the end of a night shift when one of their own, Joanne (Annabel Scholey), returns, while Helen shyly stands back.  What only these two, who have never spoken to each other, know is that each had a crush on the other in school, something unheard of in their conservative North Wales community.  

As it turns out, they are also connected by abusive men (and Gwen), Joanne having returned to clear out the house next door to Gwen’s after her father’s death and the two women’s tentative friendship turns playful when Joanne unearths a life sized doll’s head the two quickly turn into a caricature of Amy, setting it atop the fence that divides the properties.  Shared confidences promote intimacy and the relationship blossoms, although third act obstacles threaten.

This is an unusual musical as its characters sing along with such standards as Neil Diamond’s ‘I Am…I Said’ and Janis Ian’s ‘From Me to You,’ but the device works, even when the entire group prances across a bridge, their song supported by an upheld boombox.  Pugh adds touches of magical realism, like a colorful umbrella dance and a group ‘shroom trip, and symbolic nods like a dandelion head whose seeds dance upon the breeze.  But this is also the type of film where a chicken processing plant is represented with rubber fowl and flying feathers, the only work required bagging the birds, the occasional cheeky note tucked inside.         

“Chuck Chuck Baby” is an odd but endearing and joyful film about female bonding that’s tone is perhaps best exemplified by Minnie Ripperton’s ‘Les Fleur.’  This is a movie that occasionally dips, but mostly wafts, soaring into the sunshine.



Robin's Review: C+

Helen (Louise Bresley) lives a grim life. She resides with her ex-husband, his 20-year old girlfriend and their baby and toils away at the local chicken processing plant. Her only release is spending time with her friends and her favorite music. Then, a blast from her past comes back to town and turns her life upside down in “Chuck Chuck Baby.”

Writer-director Janis Pugh brings us to a small town in northern Wales to tell the story of loneliness, desperation with life and regret. Helen divides her time between taking care of her ex-husband’s ill mother, Gwen (Sorcha Cusack, marvelous in a small role), and working in the chicken plant with her best mates. Her only outlet is sparse times with her friends, letting go in brief times of joy, and her music – mainly love songs.

This time clock routine is broken one day when Joanne (Annabel Scholey) comes back to town after a years long absence. You know there is something going on with Helen and Joanne, though, at first, it is ambiguous. The truth slowly comes out and we learn that Helen had a secret crush on Joanne before she left. We also learn, later, that it was mutual.

“Chuck Chuck Baby” is a little, unrequited love story that seems obvious in its conclusion (it is), but the good-hearted spirit of the story spills through. Helen’s friends are genuine enough and their bonding believable, if a bit silly when they are all cavorting, screaming and gamboling together. Helen’s living arrangements – aside from her loyalty, love and devotion to Gwen – are contrived, at best, with she the breadwinner of the “family.”

But, the story of quiet desperation is tempered with it lost love found ending that rides off into the sunset. Superficial but satisfying.


Dark Star Pictures releases "Chuck Chuck Baby" in theaters on 8/2/24.  It becomes available on VOD and digital on 8/27/24.