Film Review: ‘Chin Up, Buttercup: The Movie’

Austra, a Toronto based electronic project run by Katie Stelmanis, just released a short-film tied to her recent album release. The classically-trained operatic artist with inspirations from eurodance to contemporary pop to folk released Chin Up Buttercup, her fifth studio album, this last November. Its 10 songs examine heartbreak and healing in a fascinatingly experimental, fantastical, and classical blend. 

Accompanying the album is Chin Up Buttercup: The Movie. At only around seven minutes long, the film precisely combines poetic, musical, and visual components. For instance, the film begins with birds chirping in the background. Immediately overlaying these sounds, the song “Amnesia” begins. It beautifully plays first in both the album and the film. 

Songs from the album continue to play throughout the film, including the emblematic “Chin Up Buttercup.” Moreover, a spoken poem is recited aloud over the song. Adding an explicitly literary element, the poem discusses heartbreak and loss. This more directly frames the film within a multi-media context. As an enjoyer of many forms of artistic media, I appreciate this creative blend of visual, literary and musical expression.    

Stelmanis features as the protagonist of the film. Within both the movie and album, she openly draws upon her breakup from a long-term partner. The related emotions of loss, devastation, and hurt are evident throughout. As well, Stelmanis’ self-reflection and representation in her art suggest a certain vulnerability to the audience. I believe that by presenting her own pain, her art becomes more emotionally accessible to viewers. 

However, these powerful feelings of grief are contrasted and connected in several ways to the mundanity of everyday life. Even the title Chin Up, Buttercup reflects the pressure to perform in ordinary life, despite personal devastation. This is a clever way to frame both the film and the album, as most people can personally relate to the social obligation of performance. Visually, this is demonstrated in both light, pastel colors and heavy, dark colors. 

For instance, the film opens up on a landscape shot. Immediately, the grainy texture suggests an ethereal quality. Moreover, the naturally light pinks, greens, and blues of the landscape become a diaphanous visual motif throughout the movie. These shots show Stelmanis awakening in a white bed resplendent with silky, light pink bedding. She is clad in gossamer pink nightwear and a long, blond wig. The slight waves and lengthy style of the wig is reminiscent of a recent online trend called “medieval hair.” These visual motifs demonstrate an increasingly popular blend of fantastical and historical fashion. Personally, I enjoy the use of this trend to reflect a subtle romanticism of the past. As well, fans of fairy tales (myself included) will appreciate the dreamy visuals. 

However, this light and airy style is contrasted with more dark and mundane elements. For instance, following the awakening scenes, the protagonist goes to a bowling alley, exchanging her pink heeled boots for bowling shoes. This reflects a potentially romanticized, heart-stopping current grief alongside societal expectations of the everyday.

Another example of this is when, earlier, she makes tea, pours it out, and drops the teacup. Although she participates in the everyday ritual of making breakfast, her heartbreak is simultaneously destructive. At one point, Stelanis wears an all-black outfit in a light pink room. I enjoy how these visuals cleverly demonstrate internal emotions at odds with the external world. Each stylistic element blends together or contrasts in symbolically different and complex ways. 

At the end of the film, a bridge between the contrast is created. The final montage begins with natural images of a sunset and pink flowers. However, it switches briefly to city lights and the inside of a concrete tunnel. A stylistic connection between the natural and internal, and the societal and external is reached. Ultimately, I appreciate that the film ends on a reassuring note. It suggests the transformative possibility of healing and balance. 

Chin Up, Buttercup: The Movie is a creative addition to any cinephile’s or artist’s to-be-watched-list. It would particularly appeal to fans of the indie or folk genre, soundtrack buffs, poets, and short film enthusiasts. The experimental and fantastical elements of the film are interesting both for their idiosyncrasies and inspirational roots. 

Austra’s latest film and album are not only poignantly vulnerable, but strikingly stylistic. And while it is important to keep your Chin Up Buttercup, Austra reminds us that it is even more important to explore and appreciate the beauty of your vulnerabilities and difficult emotions. In fact, true creativity and healing lie in self-reflection without shame.