'Baby Ruby' turns the nightmare of postpartum into a literal horror story

Jo hasn’t posted any photos of her new baby. And it’s been a month since the birth.

That may not sound like a big deal to most people, but to Jo it’s an eternity. She is a lifestyle influencer for an online magazine famous (and rich) for her documentation of her painfully perfect life, expertly manicured and stage managed; she controls every aspect of what people see about her.

But Jo (Noémie Merlant, “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”) can’t bring herself to post anything about Ruby, her new daughter, despite meticulous documentation of every aspect of her pregnancy. What gives?

A lot, in “Baby Ruby,” Bess Wohl’s debut feature, and none of it good. Wohl has turned postpartum depression into something more literal, a horror story in which Jo — as well as the audience — is never sure what is real in her increasingly fractured life. It’s a disorienting film, purposely so, in effectively pointing out the difficulties of childbirth, motherhood, trying to retain your own identity while assuming responsibility for another.

Some saguaro:Goofy by day, glowing by night: Why you really should see the Super Bowl Experience cactus

Not just a portrait of postpartum issues, 'Baby Ruby' is also a takedown of Instagram culture

We can’t talk about these things, even to each other, another mother tells Jo, after relating her own horror story. If it’s meant as a calming tale, it’s not — since it’s Jo’s mother-in-law telling it.

The film is a mad whirl of influencer phoniness, paranoia, imposter syndrome and parenting nightmares.

Jo and her husband, Spencer (Kit Harrington, “Game of Thrones”), live in a beautiful home in upstate New York. He’s an ethical butcher (“artisanal,” Jo makes sure their doctor knows, though Spencer shrugs off the description), and they live an Instagram-ready life as they await the birth of their baby.

Like any expectant parents, they’re both excited and nervous, Jo a little more so — to her it doesn’t feel as if the baby is kicking but actively pushing her away. A strange run-in with a neighbor, new mother Shelly (Meredith Hagner), puts her more ill at ease.

Wohl films the birth like it’s a slasher film. Like any new mother, Jo is sleep deprived and therefore exhausted. Her doctor (Reed Birney, who is showing up everywhere and welcome at all times), assures her that Ruby, her daughter, is normal and healthy.

Jo’s not so sure. In fairness, Ruby cries. A lot. But Jo starts to believe Ruby is mad at her, somehow disappointed. She’s a baby, the doctor says. She can’t be disappointed. Later, Ruby bites Jo while breastfeeding, drawing blood, despite presumably not being old enough to have teeth.

Last chance:Don't miss 'Sing Street,' 'Mamma Mia!' and the other movies leaving Netflix and Hulu

Merlant's performance keeps the audience guessing what's going on with Jo

Doris (Jayne Atkinson), Spencer’s meddlesome mother, starts spending more time with Ruby. Is she trying to usurp Jo, or just trying to help out? Meanwhile, Shelly introduces Jo to other new moms, seemingly perfectly put together and happily adjusted. They assure Jo this is not the case. But there is something off, something different. They’re a little too perfect.

Or are they? Wohl, with great assistance from Merlant’s performance, keeps the audience guessing as Jo’s sense of reality continues to spiral downward. Did she really go out for drinks with the other moms? Did something more happen?

Even the most innocuous gestures or developments seem to harbor ill intent. Every cry from Ruby is like a threat. When Ruby screams, Jo sometimes screams right back.

And Jo still hasn’t posted a photo of Ruby.

Wohl, a playwright who wrote and directed the film, does not offer easy answers. She doesn’t even offer easy questions. And she does not shy away from delving into what Doris suggests — that the horrors of being a new parent, whether real or sleep-starved imagination, are not talked about enough.

And they should be.

John Madden showed him the ropes:Now, this Arizona man makes the Super Bowl more than a 'show'

'Baby Ruby' 4 stars

Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★

Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★

Director: Bess Wohl.

Cast: Noémie Merlant, Kit Harrington, Meredith Hagner.

Rating: Not rated.

How to watch: In theaters Feb. 3.

Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Twitter: @goodyk.

Subscribe to azcentral.com today. What are you waiting for?

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Baby Ruby' review: Noémie Merlant unravels in new-mom horror story