This week our featured characters make some terrible decisions An older boss has an affair with a young intern; A woman tries to tame a wild animal; A therapist abandons ethical guidelines; And an isolated mother prefers terrible parenting. The experience of watching these stories unfold is by turns exciting and engaging. But a new political documentary is disappointingly dull. Avoiding it is the best decision.
“Babygirl” (on streaming platforms) On screen and in real life, the age gap in relationships is shrinking.”Babygirl” (on streaming platforms) On screen and in real life, the age gap in relationships is shrinking. Romantic partners in film and TV are typically six years apart, down from about 20 in the 1940s-50s. When films show dramatic age gaps, they often subvert tradition by showing an older woman with a younger man. In “Babygirl,” a married boss of a robotics firm (Nicole Kidman, at her boldest) has an affair with a manipulative young intern (Harris Dickinson). It might be the premise of a glossy erotic thriller, but “Babygirl” is a sharper proposition, focusing more on raw emotion than bare flesh.
“Drops of God” (on AppleTV+) Just released the second season of this multilingual romp through the world of wine. But if you missed the first season, this is the best “wine” to enjoy. After Alexandre Léger, a leading wine authority and collector, dies, his daughter Camille must battle Léger’s promise, Issei, to win the estate. The second season invents a new premise to continue the quest for wine, but it feels very familiar. Watch the first season instead, perhaps with a good glass of burgundy in hand.
“H is for Hawk” (in US, UK and Canadian cinema) Helen MacDonald (Claire Foy, pictured above) falls into depression after the sudden death of her father. As a distraction from the grief, he buys and trains a Eurasian goshawk, carrying it in his arms around Cambridge University, where he works as a researcher. Adapted from Ms Macdonald’s 2014 bestselling memoir, “H is for Hawk” offers an elegant portrait of loss and natural connection. Ms. Foy, who trained as a hawk for the role, is superb.
“If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” (Feb. 20 on streaming platforms and in cinemas in Britain) Rose Byrne (top) plays a psychotherapist whose husband travels for weeks at a time for work. She is left to look after their young daughter, who refuses to eat. And, if that’s not exhausting enough, they have to move into a motel when their apartment floods. The relentless succession of bad luck and bad decisions is almost unbearable, but thanks to Ms. Byrne’s Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated performance, it’s impossible to avoid.
“Shrunk” (on AppleTV+) The comedy-drama series about therapy-speak and upper-middle-class angst is back for a third season. As always, the dialogue is snappy, the conflict and consequences relatively low, and everyone is fully committed to “working on themselves”. This season Paul (Harrison Ford, above right) continues to struggle with his Parkinson’s diagnosis, but the best part is Jessica Williams (left), who perfectly balances wit and introspection.
And what not to watch:
“Melania” (in worldwide cinema) Who knew life with Donald Trump could be so exhausting? To judge by “Melania,” the new documentary about Melania Trump produced by herself and financed by Amazon, it mostly involves fitting into clothes, lounging around idle jets and SUVs in stiletto heels, listening to your husband brag and the occasional slur. It seems to leave little room for introspection or even a personality—though the flashes of warm smiles with Mrs. Trump’s underlings and lip-synching with village folk offer a hint. Alas for the Trumps, they have no one to make a case for this reductive, two-dimensional portrayal but themselves.
