Without Kelly (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain.

Frustrated and disappointed by her own existence, Esther (Medea Strid) looks for excitement and acceptance in all the wrong places. Without Kelly, her daughter, she struggles to find meaning—and her mental and emotional struggles are compounded by the unforgiving world around her. 

There was no way for me to know how sexually charged Without Kelly would be. It seemed clear the emotional struggles that would befall Esther as she attempted to navigate a short time without her daughter, an individual who seemingly grounds her and provides her some level of meaning. What first feels like it would possess the caring of a matriarch, Without Kelly quickly spirals into something almost degenerate and antagonistic. Esther’s fractured existence is, again, held together by Kelly, her infant daughter—and without the cornerstone of her existence within literal arms reach, Esther struggles to function as a mature adult. 

Her quick and sudden descent presents as something massively sexual in nature, offering viewers excessive nudity, invasive sex scenes, and a level of discomfort that doesn’t often consume me. Without Kelly presents a fractured narrative to viewers, but not in a way that feels entirely disjointed, but rather aggressive. As viewers are almost violently pulled from place to place, nearly every scene has a connection to sex. Again, the common theme of sex and sexual independence keeps the intentionally-fractured narrative from feeling incohesive. Rather, that undercurrent creates a growing consternation that never dissipates. 

Discomfort isn’t a critique of the film, but rather a testament to what Writer-Director Lavisa Sirén is able to develop in a short amount of time. The compounding intensity of Without Kelly creates an unrelenting unease that has the ability to consume viewers. While I was initially reticent about gratuitous nudity, that aspect of Without Kelly eventually grew on me, as it allows viewers to see through Esther’s chaotic exterior and into a fracturing mind. Her descent is much more realized than I initially believed it to be—and that everpresent nudity is the key. 

Subtle, dull natural lighting floods the screen and plays opposite Strid for the duration of Without Kelly. Nothing about this aspect of the film is sensationalized, nor does Sirén attempt to convey something that feels unwelcome or unwarranted. By presenting Esther in simple light viewers are able to better connect with her, as the film remains interestingly grounded throughout. 

Without Kelly is an incredibly short film with not my physical content other sex. However, the depth of what that sex represents is arresting. The film and its message, regardless of the vehicle used to present it, is apt, meaningful, and a darkly honest telling of how a neglected, uncultivated mind can bend and break. 

While I feel that I’ve harped on the sexual component of Without Kelly more than I needed to, I do believe that the shock value that it’s meant to, and does, deliver will be a talking point for most viewers. One group of viewers will become frustrated by the overtly sexual nature of the film, while others will see through the veil and appreciate the intense metaphor that exists throughout. 

Written & Directed by Lavisa Sirén. 

Starring Medea Strid, Truls Carlberg, Teodora Sunström Latev, Ida Broddlinder, Bernd-Christian Althoff, & Ingmar Kviele. 

7/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE