In one scene in Please Baby Please, Suze - the lead character played by Andrea Riseborough - shouts to her husband, “I’m the king around here, and don’t you forget it!” That line should have come from Riseborough herself because - omg - she is incredible in this.
Set in the 50s, Please Baby Please has it all: camp, dancing, music, erotica, comedy, drama, and everything in between. The film starts off running with an opening scene that came right out of Grease. A gang of greasers murdered a guy outside Suze and Arthur’s house. The lead gang member catches Arthur’s eye, which causes both Suze and Arthur to reevaluate what they both want in life.
Riseborough’s acting is Oscar-worthy. This is a very physical performance. In fact, it includes multiple dance numbers and she nails each one - including one where a backup dancer irons Suze’s ass. The dialogue in the script is fantastic, but Riseborough takes it to a new level. In one minute, Suze is seductive and mysterious but in another, she naturally transitions to screaming in pain. She also plays feminine and masculine interchangeably. It’s a memorable performance.
There’s a moment between Riseborough and Demi Moore that left me begging for more scenes between the two. Moore’s character bursts into Suze’s house and asks her to watch her cat. Suze responds, “I don’t like cats. Arthur says it’s because I’m like a cat. I hate water, all cats, and dogs.”
The cinematography is excellent as well. It mixes bright, technicolor scenery with smoky, almost noir-like, backgrounds. The lighting looks great. It makes the film feel like a surreal fever dream. Even the fog picks up colors from the lighting that adds depth to the sweet as-sugar yet noir-like imagery. It’s a beautifully shot movie.
I discovered Please Baby Please because it’s the Mubi “Film of the Day” - so a special thank you to the good folks at Mubi.