Even at only 15 years old, Linda Hayden ably illustrated her skills as an actress in 'Baby love.' Luci is roundly conniving and manipulative - and troubled - and Hayden possesses the poise, nuance, and intensity to portray her most ably, but also the capable range to reflect the character's garbled emotional state. This is hardly to count out her costars, though, particularly Ann Lynn and Keith Barron - steady and believable as adoptive parents Amy and Robert, responding to the turmoil of Luci's coming with their own strong feelings.
The movie is by all means a portrait of Luci, with her compartmentalized vulnerabilities and deviousness. But to the same extent it's a depiction of the widening fractures her behavior exposes and deepens in the Quayle's - and the iniquities she brings out in all those around her. There is definite plot, tracing the progression of the tumult, yet the way the film is structured quite centers Luci as more than just a character. In the same way that, for example, Michael Myers in the 'Halloween' franchise comes across as a brutal force of nature, Luci seems to be the unfettered embodiment of discord, bringing strife with her wherever she goes. And even still, Luci is only human - struggling with the trauma she has experienced, and the unwelcome overtures from those she unwittingly summons to her, set against the willfulness she represents. Though never fully engaging, it's a tack that certainly kept my attention.
On the other hand - that's the movie we get, but even without being familiar with the novel of the same name by Tina Chad Christian, I kind of get the impression that this wasn't necessarily the intention of the screenplay. Luci, in the film, also somewhat reflects a diluted interpretation of the vamp archetype, seen in her carefree flirtations amidst a disordered mentality that sows still greater chaos. But the narrative and scene writing never truly brings this aspect of the character to fruition, and with this notion lodged in our minds, the entertainment factor is weakened with a hodgepodge of half-realized tableaus. I'm of the mind that if one approaches 'Baby love' with the expectation borne out in common synopses, of a young seductress rending a family atwain, you're primed for disappointment. Why, given the varied ways that characters respond to Luci over time, the loftier assessment is the one that makes the movie work, and in general, only in broadening one's horizons to encompass a more esoteric reading does the movie become more engrossing, and satisfying.
With all that said, I think 'Baby love' is an imperfect happy accident. We've all seen movies that were so regrettably untidy in their execution that their purpose is subverted, becoming a delightful outright comedy instead of a drama or serious thriller. 'Baby love' also suffers a similar difficulty, except instead of totally upending the picture as we see it, the perspective is simply altered, like a different filter used in capturing an image. The writing isn't strong enough to cement the cinematic telling of a story, but in its faults it gives way to something even better. Other details in the feature are quite fine - I love the care given to wardrobe, hair, and makeup, and the filmmakers put together a solid soundtrack. Instances of camerawork emphasizing small details in a scene, or subtleties of a performance, are most appreciated. Again keeping in mind the dependence on one's analysis, I think scenes are put together quite well.
'Baby love' is a bit of an oddity. The suggested subject matter is lurid, and the story as written is direct. But the execution is a little less unseemly than we'd anticipate, and the plot becomes something more amorphous. There are a lot of points here that may be a turn-off for some viewers, including not least of all how rough it is around the edges - again, that I think the movie comes off well appears to be lucky happenstance. Of course it also goes without saying that there's a content warning for sexual content involving a minor. But the performances are great, and there's a lot of value here if you can pick up on the more illustrious overarching ideas that the incomplete writing fortuitously conjured in its wake. Recommended most of all for fans of Linda Hayden, one needn't necessarily go out of their way for 'Baby love,' but it's peculiarly enjoyable if you come across it.
