Pretty Baby 1978 Film !new! Review

Pretty Baby (1978) is not a masterpiece, but it is a significant film. It is beautifully shot, brilliantly acted by Sarandon and Carradine, and anchored by a performance from Shields that is more soulful than critics ever gave her credit for. However, its central conceit is a wound that never heals. It forces the viewer to look at a child and ask: "Who is really watching, and why?"

The cinematography by Sven Nykvist (Ingmar Bergman’s legendary collaborator) is stunning. Long, static shots force the audience to sit with the discomfort. When Violet loses her virginity to a young man in the house, Malle cuts away to a clock ticking. It is a director’s attempt to critique the situation by refusing to sensationalize it.

"Pretty Baby" is a 1978 American historical drama film directed by Louis Malle. The movie stars Keith Carradine, Susan Sarandon, and Brooke Shields in her film debut. The story revolves around the lives of two itinerant musicians, Al and Alice, who perform in a brothel in Storyville, New Orleans, during the early 20th century. Their lives are intertwined with a young girl named Violet, played by Brooke Shields, who lives in the brothel with her mother.