Babes

Jerry Seinfeld’s silly Pop-Tart movie Unfrosted’s reign as the best comedy of 2024 thus far has come to an end. Now, that title belongs to Babes.

Long live Babes!

Written by Ilana Glazer and Josh Rabinowitz, the feature directorial debut of veteran actor Pamela Adlon serves up nearly non-stop laughs in the service of a heartfelt story fortified by Intelligent commentary on adult friendships, modern motherhood, and other mature matters.

The reliably hilarious Glazer stars as Eden, an NYC yoga instructor who’s longtime best friends with Dawn (Michele Buteau, Marry Me). Expertly lobbing jokes back and forth, Glazer and Buteau exhibit phenomenal chemistry and, over the course of an eventful Thanksgiving that culminates in Dawn giving birth to her second child, they get Babes off to a roaring start.

With Dawn and her husband Marty (Hasan Minhaj) occupied with their new addition, Eden experiences one of the all-time great cinematic meet-cutes with actor Claude (Stephan James, If Beale Street Could Talk) on the subway. Their cheer-worthy hook-up later that night leaves Eden pregnant, and seeing as Claude mysteriously becomes…let’s say “out of the picture” by the time she figures out she’s expecting, Eden is left to decide what to do with her surprise situation.

The resulting action blends touching insights with uproarious pop culture references that feel completely natural coming from these characters. The soundtrack adds to the fun, namely a killer Kevin Morby needle drop with Shaina Twain also nicely represented.

As Eden’s journey progresses, John Carroll Lynch joins the fray as a kindly gynecologist traversing his own ongoing journey — this one on his scalp, and he’s goofily honest about his various hair-loss solutions not working. Fellow dependable supporting player Oliver Platt likewise spruces up the joint as Eden’s father, and their awkward interactions further round out her character and what might be motivating her to become a mother.

But the main attraction remains Eden’s and Dawn’s bond, and the bumps that arise as Eden figures out her life and Dawn struggles with being in a family of four feel wholly authentic — even, if not more so, as they continue to dish out one funny line after another.

Grade: B-plus. Rated R. Now playing at Carolina Cinemark, Grail Moviehouse, and Regal Biltmore Grande.

(Photo: Neon)