Babyteeth

Babyteeth

Year: 2019

Runtime: 118 mins

Language: English

Director: Shannon Murphy

Echo Score: 81
DramaRomanceComedy

A terminally ill teen upsets her parents when she falls in love with a small-time drug dealer.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Babyteeth yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Babyteeth (2019)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Babyteeth (2019). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Contemporary (early 21st century)

The movie takes place in the early 2000s to 2010s, reflecting modern medical and social contexts. This period is characterized by advancements in healthcare, particularly cancer treatments, and evolving conversations about mental health and youth culture. The contemporary setting emphasizes current societal dynamics.

Location

Sydney, Australia

The movie is set in Sydney, Australia's urban and suburban areas. Sydney is known for its iconic landmarks, vibrant arts scene, and diverse neighborhoods. The setting captures both the bustling city life and quiet residential districts, providing a poignant backdrop for the story.

🌅 Coastal 🏡 Suburban 🎨 Artsy

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:43

Main Characters – Babyteeth (2019)

Meet the key characters of Babyteeth (2019), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Milla Finlay (Eliza Scanlen)

A sensitive and courageous teenager diagnosed with a terminal illness. Despite her health struggles, she seeks normalcy and connection, showing resilience and an ironic sense of humor. Her character embodies youthful vulnerability blended with a desire to live fully.

🩺 Terminally Ill ❤️ Young Rebel 🎻 Music Lover

Henry Finlay (Ben Mendelsohn)

Milla's concerned father and a therapist who struggles to balance his professional detachment with his father's love. He wrestles with feelings of helplessness and guilt, trying to protect his family while accepting their inevitable loss.

👔 Therapist 🧡 Protective 💔 Grieving

Anna Finlay (Essie Davis)

Milla's mother who copes with her daughter's terminal illness through substance use and emotional upheaval. She is complex, showing moments of vulnerability, frustration, and confusion as she navigates her daughter's declining health.

💊 Anxious 😔 Overwhelmed 💉 Self-medicating

Moses (Toby Wallace)

A rebellious young man with a troubled background who forms a deep connection with Milla. His character is marked by vulnerability, loyalty, and love, despite his rough exterior and struggles with drug use.

🎱 Rebellious 💔 Loving 🚶‍♂️ Troubled youth

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:43

Major Themes – Babyteeth (2019)

Explore the central themes of Babyteeth (2019), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧠 Mental Health

The film explores the impact of terminal illness on mental health, as well as the emotional struggles of both the patients and their families. Characters cope with pain, fear, and grief, highlighting the importance of support and understanding in difficult times.

💔 Love and Loss

Central to the story are themes of unfulfilled love, youthful romance, and impending death. The characters navigate fragile relationships, finding moments of connection amidst the pain of terminal illness. The film poignantly portrays love's resilience and its limits in the face of mortality.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:43

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Bittersweet love stories shadowed by mortality like Babyteeth

Romantic connections that burn brightly against the looming darkness of terminal illness.If you liked Babyteeth, this collection features movies about intense, life-affirming romances set against the backdrop of terminal illness. These stories explore how love blooms in the face of mortality, offering similar feelings of raw tenderness, heartbreaking joy, and profound sadness.

heartbreakingtenderbittersweetdesperatemelancholicromanticrawpoignant

Narrative Summary

These narratives follow characters who, facing a shortened life, pursue a deep romantic connection that defies their circumstances. The story arc typically balances moments of pure, stolen happiness with the ever-present reality of grief, leading to a conclusion that emphasizes the beauty and pain of their time together.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared exploration of love's power to provide meaning and light in the darkest of times. They share a specific tonal mix of romance and sadness, a focus on emotional authenticity, and a journey that is both uplifting and devastating.

Movies about families fracturing under grief like Babyteeth

Stories where a family's foundation cracks as each member copes with a shared tragedy.For viewers who appreciated the family dynamics in Babyteeth, this section highlights similar dramas about parents and children coping with immense loss. These movies explore the different, often conflicting, ways family members grieve, leading to strain, tension, and a search for new footing.

grief-strickenstrainedintrospectivedesperatemelancholicrawheartbreakingemotional

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a family unit already under stress confronted by a unifying crisis. Instead of bringing them together, the pressure causes them to splinter, with subplots following each character's isolated coping mechanisms—be it denial, anger, or escapism—while the family home becomes a backdrop for silent suffering and miscommunication.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their central theme of a family in collapse due to shared grief. They share a raw, introspective mood, a steady pacing that allows for deep character study, and a portrayal of domestic life that is filled with tension, love, and profound sadness.

Unlock the Full Story of Babyteeth

Don't stop at just watching — explore Babyteeth in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Babyteeth is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Babyteeth Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Babyteeth, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Babyteeth Summary

Babyteeth Timeline

Track the full timeline of Babyteeth with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Babyteeth Timeline

Babyteeth Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Babyteeth that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Babyteeth Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Babyteeth

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Babyteeth: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Babyteeth

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Discover movies like Babyteeth that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.