Tubi FrightFest Review – Big Baby (2025)

      **Big Baby, 2025.**

      **Written and Directed by Spider One.**

      **Starring Brandon Scott, Krsy Fox, Torio Van Grol, Kate Freund, Adam Marchinowski, Jordan Elsass, and Radek Lord.**

      **SYNOPSIS:**

      A successful screenwriter experiences a creative drought until a masked murderer inspires him for a new script. As the boundaries of reality begin to dissolve, he finds himself entwined in his own narrative.

      Ah, the struggles of writer’s block—a truly unsettling experience of staring blankly at a page or screen, devoid of inspiration. This theme has been effectively explored in horror films like The Dark Half and The Shining, both rooted in Stephen King’s battles with the elusive muse and his struggles with alcoholism, along with the twisted creative instincts presented in Sinister. Each of these narratives, including Spider One's Big Baby, also features a conflict involving alcohol. The connection between drinking and writing is somewhat clichéd but holds true for good reason.

      In Big Baby, Brandon Scott skillfully captures the downsides of immersing oneself too deeply in a story. His character, Adam, lives within his writing—at least as far as the narrative develops, which isn't extensively, to be fair. The segments of the story that the audience witnesses consist mainly of random violent scenes without any clear indication of how Adam will connect them.

      For me, that wasn’t particularly important. Big Baby is focused on how the writing journey impacts the writer, particularly one who feels especially vulnerable and isolated.

      Adam’s sensitivity is evident from the outset. He becomes fixated on the harsh criticism from a couple of smug movie-review podcasters who disparage his latest film. Instead of dismissing their opinions, he spirals further into obsession. His mental state deteriorates, leading to a confrontation with the podcast hosts in a local café. Just as he's reaching a breaking point, his girlfriend Kate (Krsy Fox)—also under immense pressure—loses her cool and tells him to stop acting like such a big baby.

      This sets off nightmarish visions of a killer in a baby mask committing various gruesome acts. But is this truly happening, or is it merely a figment of Adam's imagination and his writing?

      I understand why some might be discouraged by Big Baby. It continuously throws out concept after concept with satirical meta-horror flair, seemingly unconcerned about how it's received. Some may perceive it as striving too hard for cleverness.

      However, I personally appreciated the exploration of the agonizing creative process involved in transforming an idea into written form.

      Much of this appreciation stems from Scott's compelling performance. His anxious energy forms the core of the film’s most captivating moments, with Fox providing strong support. The movie is particularly engaging and insightful when it delves into the tension within their relationship, rather than focusing solely on Adam’s fictional film, which has little connection to reality.

      As the narrative progresses and we observe Adam attempting to write the scenes we see depicted, the storyline does become less cohesive. It's still enjoyable, but the first two-thirds leave a stronger impression than the concluding portion, which, without revealing too much, felt somewhat contrived in its attempt to explore new directions.

      That said, I found Big Baby to be an intelligent and unsettling perspective on the writer’s experience. It also interestingly highlights the bravery involved in sharing creative work with a wider audience, which in itself is a considerable feat—particularly when there are individuals in baby masks engaged in sinister activities!

      **Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★**

      Robert W Monk