A Batty Black Comedy: ‘Audrey’ Pushes Boundaries

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The raw, uncensored struggles and turbulent dynamics of a challenging mother-daughter bond are laid bare in the frankly amusing movie “Audrey“. This narrative might hit closer to home than we’d care to acknowledge. Pushing boundaries even more, “Audrey” explores the concept that an unsatisfied stage mother could breed a self-indulgent, troublesome daughter, and she longs for her problematic offspring to vanish from her life.

Under the direction of Natalie Bailey and penned by Lou Sanz, Audrey centers around Ronnie Lipsick (Jackie van Beek), a faded soap opera star, who endeavors to transform her unruly teenage daughter Audrey (Josephine Blazier) into the renowned actress she once aspired to be. In an unexpected turn of events, Audrey slips into a coma, prompting Ronnie, self-proclaimed “Mother of the Year,” to take drastic action: she impersonates her daughter and assumes her identity, thereby resurrecting her dormant acting career while masquerading as a 17-year-old.

Good Riddance to Audrey

In the absence of Audrey, who often cast a foreboding shadow, Ronnie experiences a resurgence in her passions for acting and living, as well as her bond with her husband Cormack (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor). This aspect of their relationship, not always successful, blooms. Moreover, Norah, their sharp-witted, disabled daughter, who previously received less attention than Audrey due to her condition, finally experiences a sense of recognition, increased opportunities, and broadened social interactions. Remarkably, this shift occurs after Audrey fell into a prolonged coma, allowing Norah to receive the attention she needed and gain accessible bathroom space in the house.

The story told in “Audrey” is a stark reminder of age-old tales like favoritism among siblings and living vicariously through one’s children, but this film takes it to an extreme level, seemingly unbothered by its characters becoming obnoxious. To put it simply, the movie, debuted at SXSW 2024 and screened at the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival, tackles head-on the complexities of self-centeredness, the repercussions of overbearing parenting, restrictive societal norms for women, and the stigma surrounding not liking one’s own child.

‘Audrey’ Is as Confidently Raunchy as It Is Self-Aware

Audrey, despite featuring common themes of feminism and family conflicts that audiences might find familiar, does not resort to clichés or superficiality in its efforts to provoke through exaggerated satire. Instead, the film’s depictions of depravity serve a purpose and are skillfully timed, keeping viewers engaged with each reference to Christian-themed pornography and every instance of ableism. The film’s success lies in part because it is self-aware; it knows how to push boundaries while maintaining audience sympathy – a feat not easily achieved. It effectively allows the audience to find humor in a mother wishing her comatose daughter stays unconscious, which, ironically, makes it all the funnier.

From my perspective as an avid spectator, as Ronnie finds her zest once more and Norah experiences life in its fullness, there’s a collective response among the Lipsick family towards the comatose Audrey that leans towards relief. However, Josephine Blazier’s compelling portrayal and Natalie Bailey’s keen direction ensure that Audrey’s actions are not one-dimensional. She’s harsh, she’s cruel, she makes the Lipsick household a living nightmare, but could she just be a troubled teenager? The tagline “Hell is a teenage girl” from the 2009 horror-comedy “Jennifer’s Body” – another remarkable example of feminist satire – comes to mind when I reflect on Audrey’s character.

In a manner similar to Jennifer’s Body, Audrey explores the nightmarish stereotype of teenage girlhood, but with a twist. She portrays the titular character as a complex demon (albeit figuratively, not literally like Jennifer’s Body), offering insights into her suffering. Ronnie denies Audrey the chance to be herself, treating her as a moldable duplicate, a second shot at fame, an act that Audrey might never forgive. This theme is potent and goes beyond Audrey’s painful dialogue such as “reparations for this trauma” and “every day you violate my human rights.” Even her fall from the roof can be seen as a desperate plea for help.

“Unlikable Women” & Genuine Disability Representation

It’s effortless to chuckle at Ronnie’s questionable parenting methods and her somewhat distorted view of what truly matters, but it’s equally striking how much we can identify with her undeniable self-centeredness. Author Lou Sanz has discussed creating female characters who are unlikeable, though she didn’t always realize they were unlikeable in the first place.

In simpler terms, Sanz stated to MovieWeb in an interview that the peculiarity making everyone uneasy about Ronnie lies in her desires not aligning with conventional societal expectations for women. However, it seems Ronnie expresses what many people secretly wish for (with a note of skepticism), providing a unique, somewhat twisted perspective on less-than-perfect motherhood.

Apart from the flippant comments suggesting life is better without Audrey, which are often accompanied by sly references to a self-centered woman desiring everything, Audrey provides exceptional representation of disability. The character of Norah, a teenager living with cerebral palsy (CP), is skillfully portrayed with excellent comedic delivery and dry wit by writer and advocate for disability rights, Hannah Diviney.

Despite frequently feeling overlooked or unseen, as is common among people with disabilities, Norah vigorously pursues her extracurricular aspirations and romantic longings. Her cerebral palsy is evident, yet it doesn’t dictate her personality, and the movie avoids stereotyping her as a diversity token. As Sanz states, discussions on authentic inclusivity and diversity should no longer be necessary, but until that time, films like Audrey are a welcome change of pace.

‘Audrey’ Is Simultaneously Dateless and Current

Using an intricate, poisoned lemon tree symbolism and fitting allusions to the classic Greek tragedy “Medea”, Audrey offers a darkly humorous tale that promises enduring appeal. Central to this story are struggles within family ties and relentless pursuits of dreams, themes that remain timeless in the realm of storytelling.

Despite this, the concepts of assuming responsibility for someone else’s pain and showcasing personal hardships for attention and a sense of identity – often on social media platforms such as TikTok – are evident in today’s culture. This is observed in productions like the Tony Award-winning musical “Dear Evan Hansen”, the 2020 limited drama series “I May Destroy You”, and the 2022 Norwegian horror-comedy “Sick of Myself”. Characters in these works use cheerful TikTok dances to express their personal struggles, and exploit another’s suffering to garner sympathy, eventually leading to sexual gratification. This dark absurdity pervades the work Audrey, giving it a distinctly “2020s” feel.

Audrey displays an eccentric mix of whimsical humor and intense horror under Bailey’s direction, making her character resemble both a playful jester one moment and a disturbing Gaspar Noé-style nightmare the next. This unusual blend seems to fit perfectly, even if mainstream viewers might not fully grasp it. To those who might choose to overlook it, I say, “Farewell!

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2025-01-23 16:32