Milkwater (2020) Movie Review
*Milkwater was viewed as part of the 2020 Atlanta Film Festival.
Writer and director Morgan Ingari dives into an interesting concept with Milkwater. Milo (Molly Bernard) is a twenty-something living in New York struggling with her life. If this sounds like the beginning to a typical coming of age drama, don’t fret because Ingari throws you a curveball later on.
The opening scene of Milkwater features Milo, horribly out of place at a baby shower for her best friend Noor (Ava Eisenson). The baby games seem objectively terrible and we get the impression that Milo is not really in the same stage of life as her friends. Then Ingari gives us not just one but two meet cutes! Save your hopes that this will turn into a romantic comedy, because it doesn’t.
First, Milo meets Roger (Patrick Breen) at a bar and they drunkenly discuss their lives. I hate to dash everyone’s hopes and dreams but Roger is gay and even performs in drag at a bar named Thigh High. The second meet cute encounter occurs while Milo is working in a guitar shop. Cameron (Ade Otukoya) is in a band and they strike up a conversation that you suspect will not be their last.
We are rolling right along on the predictable formula for a good old fashion rom com when Ingari suddenly veers off course. Milo and Roger meet again. This time, they discuss how Roger has always wanted kids and has been turned down from adoption agencies a few times. Somehow Roger and Milo go from two strangers who met at a bar to Milo becoming Roger’s surrogate baby mama. It sounds totally crazy (and it is) but somehow Ingari makes it seem natural.
However, problems begin to arise as Milo becomes overly attached to Roger and it becomes clear that she didn’t do this for the right reasons. My favorite part of the movie was the ending. It’s incredibly bittersweet and feels like the only appropriate ending for Milo. Ingari is helped immensely by performances from Bernard and Breen. They have undeniable chemistry and you feel for both of them as they navigate the, at times, treacherous waters of surrogacy.
Bernard in particular carries the movie with her quick wit and ability to make you root for Milo while simultaneously being infuriated by her immaturity. Milo’s roommate George (Robin De Jesus) adds some fun energy and a nice opportunity to see what kind of friend Milo is in different scenarios. The screenplay isn’t spectacular but there are some memorable lines such as, “It’s not a New York moment unless you talk about a fetish or your dead parents.”
Ingari doesn’t get too wrapped up in the coming of age façade and focuses on more complex issues about family and what it means to not have one. She also examines all of the different ways families can be formed with several LGBT supporting characters that challenge the typical nuclear family ideal and plenty of discussions about starting a family and forging relationships. Milkwater lags a bit at times and can seem far-fetched, but that’s really part of its charm. Milo is a mess and uses surrogacy as a way to connect and find purpose in her life. An odd choice for sure but one that winds up creating a very interesting and unique story.
Film or Movie: Movie
You’ll like this movie if:
1. You’re anti-rom com
2. You like stories about finding your way
3. You are interested in exploring the meaning of family
