Baby Formula works, as a formula, in much the same way E=Mc cubed would: it doesn't. The mockumentary format leads you to believe that the actresses portraying the two lesbians who've conceived sans sperm could be real people — that perhaps they aren't just, well, bad actresses — but within the first 15 minutes of the Canadian film it becomes abundantly clear that humans don't move or speak like either Athena or Lilith, and they certainly don't reproduce without sperm. The format could easily be used to suspend belief but is victimized by wandering plotlines including a choice between suicide vs. life with Alzheimer's, embarrassing stereotypes (Lilith's two fathers, Athena's uber-Catholic mother) and a random rendition of "My Humps." But the opening credits were brilliant. Fri. Oct. 9, 9 p.m., Tampa Theatre
More reviews at the Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival page.
This article appears in Oct 8-14, 2009.