In the past decade or so, we have seen our fair share of films from various genres cover the topic of unwanted pregnancies, from Jason Reitman’s groundbreaking comedy Juno to Eliza Hittman’s gritty drama Never Rarely Sometimes Always. The latest entry to the ever-growing list is Yngvild Sve Flikke’s sophomore feature Ninjababy, a charming comedy that could easily be considered Juno’s Norwegian cousin.
Based on Inga H Sætre’s graphic novel Fallteknikk, Ninjababy centers on 23-year-old Rakel (Kristine Kujath Thorp), a flailing illustrator who likes to party, do drugs, and have no strings attached sex. One night, her roommate Ingrid (Tora Dietrichson) comments on Rakel’s strangely strong sense of smell, new craving of fruit juice, and weight gain, suggesting that Rakel is pregnant. Rakel — who doesn’t have her shit together — has many possible career paths to choose from, including astronaut, beer taster, and comic book illustrator, but what she definitely doesn’t want is to be a mom. However, a pregnancy test confirms what she’s been dreading, but she initially brushes it off with the belief that she is only a few weeks along and can swiftly get an abortion. At the same time, Mos (Nader Khademi), a one-night stand who could possibly be the baby’s father, re-enters her life when she signs up for an Aikido class without knowing that he is the instructor. At the abortion clinic, Rakel is shocked to find out that she isn’t under twelve weeks along like she assumed, but is rather six and a half months pregnant, thus taking an abortion completely off the table and ruling out the possibility of Mos being the father.
Stuck with having to carry the pregnancy to term, Rakel searches for possible adoptive parents, including her older half-sister Mie (Silya Nymoen), and must figure out who the biological father is (“You banged loads. This is like Mamma Mia!” Ingrid exclaims). The father turns out to be another one-night stand she and Ingrid have hilariously dubbed “Dick Jesus” (Arthur Berning), whose narcissism and immaturity initially make him the worst possible candidate for fatherhood. Rakel christens her unborn fetus Ninjababy, after his stealthy gestation during the first two trimesters. Literally jumping off the pages of Rakel’s notebook, the mask-wearing illustration (wonderfully voiced by Herman Tømmeraas) is a cartoon manifestation who interrupts her life with complaints about Dick Jesus (“You let that guy fuck you?”), jabs about her unorganized life, and its obsession with having Angelina Jolie as a mother. Rakel’s deep care for her unborn baby’s future signals a growing attachment, as she worries about making sure the adoptive parents aren’t too rich so that the child doesn’t grow up spoiled and end up being a jerk.
The highlight of the film is Thorp’s energetic and nuanced performance, imbuing Rakel with a balance of earnestness and unabashed humor. Flikke, Sætre, and co-writer Johan Fasting succeed at creating a likable and sympathetic protagonist who doesn’t lean too much into stereotypes but rather feels very real and complex and who is unapologetically herself. One of the film’s greatest feats is Sætre’s animation, which is organically weaved into the narrative and Rakel’s view of the world. When Rakel is feeling confused, illustrated scribbles mask people’s faces; when she feels depressed, animated rain falls in her direction; and when she feels in love, little sparks illuminate the screen.
Ninjababy is a refreshingly sincere and purely delightful comedy that has many laugh-out-loud moments and perfectly combined live-action with vivid animation. While it isn’t breaking new ground in the comedies-about-pregnancy sub-genre, its comforting familiarity and distinct personality is what makes it so enjoyable. From the opening scene, it’s clear that Flikke has created something special — a heartwarming, honest, and entertaining portrayal of the highs and lows of womanhood.
