Sharing a child after divorce isn’t easy under even the best of circumstances when two former partners get along relatively well and aren’t struggling financially. But when a mutual hatred consumes them both, the result can be problematic for the child, who may in turn lash out at one or both parents because they’re absorbing some of that tension. Up Against It features three such individuals whose dynamic is further upended by a medical diagnosis for which the best possible treatment is what the two theoretical adults in the situation couldn’t want any less.
Rose (Eden Hamilton) isn’t unhappy to learn that her mother Saffron (Eva Birthistle) is engaged to Kingsley (Arinzé Kene) because she doesn’t approve of him (she loves him) but because she’s taking out all her teenage angst on her mother even though her father Álvaro (Antonio Banderas) was the one who cheated with his cellist, Lara (Úrsula Corberó), who is now his partner. When Rose learns that she had cancer as a toddler and that she’s sick again, an unusual solution is presented: Saffron and Álvaro could have another baby whose stem cells would be the likeliest match for Rose. Their doctor (Forest Whitaker) and his team, alarmed by the animosity that the two former spouses have towards each other, make an additional request if they’re going to support this course of action, which is that Kingsley and Lara must also agree to be coparents to ensure some sense of harmony for this new child.
Trudie Styler returns to the Toronto International Film Festival with an enthralling comedy about finding common ground and how incredibly difficult that can be, even for adults. At the start, it’s centered on Rose and the way that she’s choosing to rebel against her mother, and it soon shifts into an exploration of the complicated relationship between people who used to love each other more than anything and the new partners they’ve found for themselves who don’t carry anywhere near the same baggage but can still see the residual effects of a marriage turned extremely toxic. Throughout this film’s roughly two hours, audiences truly get the opportunity to live and grow with these characters as they tackle major obstacles to their happiness and well-being.
The casting of this film’s five main actors is absolutely terrific, and there’s not one weak link in the cast, regardless of the size of the role. Banderas and Birthistle are just as formidable on their own as they are together hurling hatred across the room with a dismissive glance or reductive comment, and they handle drama and comedy superbly. Kene and Corberó meet the needs of their parts excellently, portraying newcomers to this complex dynamic who, above all, exhibit a sincere and potent affinity for their partner’s daughter. Hamilton, in just her fourth screen credit, is a fantastic find, full of personality and an unforgettable screen presence. She’s also skilled in handling the film’s tonal shifts, no small feat for a teenage actress hopefully heading down a great path.
This film’s screenplay by Chloe King and Camille Griffin taps into the many factors that make marriages and family relationships work and fail, and packages them in a narrative that’s both a lot of fun and full of poignant moments of true connection, heartbreak, and understanding. It’s an adult drama that underlines the importance of maturity while showcasing exactly the opposite, and it doesn’t take itself too seriously, making sure to include enough genuinely hilarious squabbles and outbursts to balance out its heavier and equally worthwhile material. Up Against It is a winning ensemble project that speaks to the curveballs life throws and the best – and worst – ways to handle them.
Movie Rating: 8/10
Up Against It makes its world premiere in the Gala Presentations section at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.
