Babyteeth (2019) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Babyteeth is set in Sydney, Australia, spanning both urban and suburban areas. The film captures the contrast between Sydney's bustling city life and quieter residential neighborhoods, using this diverse backdrop to emphasize the story's intimate family drama against a broader metropolitan setting.

• sydney australia setting location suburban urban

The film is set in the contemporary early 21st century, specifically the early 2000s to 2010s. This time period reflects modern medical and social contexts, including advancements in cancer treatments and evolving conversations about mental health and youth culture.

• time period era 2000s 2010s contemporary

Babyteeth explores two primary themes: mental health and love and loss. The film examines the psychological impact of terminal illness on both patients and families, while also portraying the complex interplay between youthful romance and impending death. These themes intertwine to create a bittersweet exploration of finding connection amidst mortality.

• themes love loss mental health terminal illness

Milla Finlay is the terminally ill teenage protagonist played by Eliza Scanlen. Despite her diagnosis, she seeks normalcy and genuine connection, displaying remarkable resilience and an ironic sense of humor. Her character embodies youthful vulnerability paired with a fierce determination to live fully before her time runs out.

• milla finlay protagonist terminally ill teen

Moses is a rebellious young man with a troubled background who becomes Milla's love interest, played by Toby Wallace. Despite his rough exterior and struggles with drug use, he forms a deep, loyal connection with Milla, revealing genuine vulnerability and capacity for love beneath his troubled surface.

• moses toby wallace love interest drug dealer

Babyteeth explores how terminal illness affects mental health for both patients and their families. The film shows characters coping with pain, fear, and grief while highlighting the importance of support and understanding. It examines the emotional turmoil of watching a loved one decline and the desperate search for meaning and connection during those final chapters.

• terminal illness cancer mental health family coping

Milla's parents are Henry and Anna Finlay, played by Ben Mendelsohn and Essie Davis. Henry is a therapist who struggles to maintain professional detachment while dealing with his father's helplessness as a parent. Anna copes with her daughter's illness through substance use and emotional upheaval, displaying complex vulnerability and frustration as she navigates the impossible reality of losing her child.

• henry finlay anna finlay parents ben mendelsohn essie davis

The Sydney setting provides a poignant contrast between urban energy and suburban intimacy. The city's iconic landmarks and diverse neighborhoods create a contemporary backdrop that grounds the deeply personal story in a recognizable world. This urban-suburban tension mirrors the family's experience, navigating public normalcy while privately facing devastating circumstances.

• sydney australia setting urban suburban contrast

Babyteeth presents young love as both powerful and constrained by mortality. The film portrays Milla and Moses's relationship as a source of genuine connection and joy, but also shows love's limits when faced with terminal illness. Their romance is portrayed with tenderness, showing how two young people can find profound meaning together even when time is tragically short.

• young love romance moses milla relationship

Babyteeth has a bittersweet tone that balances moments of youthful joy and deep connection with the constant shadow of impending death. The film blends comedy, drama, and romance to create a nuanced emotional experience. While the subject matter is inherently heavy, the steady pacing and focus on character moments allow for moments of levity without diminishing the emotional weight.

• tone bittersweet emotional tone comedy drama romance

Milla's parents cope with her terminal illness in fundamentally different ways that strain their relationship. Henry, a therapist, battles between professional detachment and overwhelming parental helplessness. Anna turns to substance use and experiences emotional volatility. Their individual coping mechanisms create subplots that add complexity to the central romance, showing how grief manifests differently within a family.

• parents coping grief substance use family breakdown