Side Saddle - Review

Director Hyten Davidson dedicated Side Saddle to her coworker, who upon finding out that his wife was pregnant, said, “three months of vacation!" in regards to his paternity leave. I think that quote can pretty much sum up the experience that this film is trying to convey. So many people who have given birth and then experienced postpartum depression are barraged with encouragement and plagued with guilt from many around them. So much so that the existence of the condition is often squashed down to tiredness, or an overwhelming sensation of love that they have never experienced before. Side Saddle offers an honest look into postpartum depression, showcasing the real toll it can take, and the opportunity for growth.

Jo (Hyten Davidson) is a new mom, experiencing postpartum depression while her partner Danny (Christian Missonak) snores peacefully in his bed. Jo had to have a c-section during the birth, and is in pain from recovery, along with struggling with pumping her own milk for their baby. After sleepless nights and wavering help, Jo falls back into her old ways, relying on alcohol to soothe the pain. Her overly cheery Virtual Therapist (Ruth Kaufman) suggests that she go back to doing what she did before the baby came, riding horses. So Jo sets out, faced by the decision to fall further into habits, or leave a past behind, paving a new path forward.

I was admittedly a little concerned on the opening shot that the film was not going to handle the topic very well, for very surface level reasoning of title design and colour on the opening, where it seemed a little bright and lighthearted. However, once the darkened house was introduced, and the bold sound design choices stuck around, I was pleasantly surprised. The film is very emotionally effective, even though Davidson states that the film is fictionalised, it is based on experiences that helped to shape a very clear and emotive story that does a lot in its short runtime.

The camera work is quite nice here too, especially in the house scenes and the final few shots outside with Jo and the horse. There is more than just nice locations and lighting that builds these shots too. The production design in the house, along with a very nice shot choice towards the end change what could have been ordinary moments into something more impactful. In the house, you feel a sense of chaos and claustrophobia at their situation, while outside there is a closeness that no longer feels stuck in what was.

I felt enough through the ending of the film to forgive some of sound mixing, which was a little clunky at times, especially with liquid sounds. There is a line between emphasising the importance of an object and exaggerating it that sometimes is crossed.

It is hard to fault a film that does such an incredible job with its writing, a mature and realistic look at an experience that affects so many new parents. Side Saddle doesn’t attempt to solve or paint postpartum depression with an easy fix, it looks at how it can affect someone, and how they can take steps to move forward for the better. I think what Davidson also understands is that a revelation is not an instant solve too, which leaves the film on a note that resonates with real life, rather than an escapist’s vision. While those films are important, Side Saddle is not trying to make you forget about real life while you watch it, it is showing you what it looks like.