Obvious Child (2014) - A Movie Review

You are unapologetically yourself.

Obvious Child is a 2014 film. Donna, a twenty-something comedian, has an unplanned pregnancy. She immediately schedules an abortion, but has to wait for the appointment. In the meantime, Donna must confront her lover about the situation.

Obvious Child may look like an immature story based on the trailer. It’s actually a mature film that takes a controversial topic seriously. We should be allowed to make our own health decisions. While it overpacks juvenile comedy, the film shares an enlightening message about growth.

I have become a big fan of Jenny Slate, who plays Donna Stern, a Brooklyn stand-up comedian. Most of her movies are on my watch list. Although Slate is typecast as the immature woman-child, her character’s growth in every performance is a genuine portrayal.

‘Serious’ is not in Donna’s vocabulary, but she loves to be herself. There is so much more depth to Donna, thanks to Slate. Just like I thought, Slate improvised most of her comic routines. Slate was approached for the role when Gillian Robespierre saw her comedy show.

More credits include Gaby Hoffman, Gabe Liedman, Richard Kind, and Polly Draper. Sarcasm is a love language shared among the characters. Donna’s relationship with each character is so important. Friends make everything better, which is how Nellie (Hoffman) helps Donna deal with this situation.

Donna’s parents have an effective role in the story. Her parents are divorced. Her dad (Richard Kind) is a fun-loving man, and it’s easy to see where Donna got her love for comedy. Donna's mom (Polly Draper), however, is a no-nonsense woman who expects more from Donna. I love the scene where Donna comes to her mother at her lowest point.

This is Gillian Robespierre’s feature debut. Filming lasted 18 days. I have seen Landline, another film directed by Robespierre, and also had Slate. I’ve noticed that she likes talking about relatable subjects in unique ways.

Previously, Obvious Child was a 20-minute 2009 short film. She realized that there was more to the story and decided to expand it into a feature film. One major difference was that Donna wasn’t a comedian in the short film. This aspect is an important part of Donna’s character, and Robespierre was smart to include it.

Robespierre, co-writer Karen Maine, and producer Elisabeth Holm wanted to make a film that showed a woman choosing what’s right for her life and finding support rather than judgment. Robespierre described Obvious Child not as an abortion film, but as a romantic comedy. It’s also a story about finding yourself.

Obvious Child made its debut both times at the Sundance Film Festival. In interviews, Robespierre has been vocal about her opinions on the subject. She wanted to make sure that the main character was truly loved and not alone.

“We wanted to take some stigma away from the abortion at the same time and show a procedure that was not full of regret and shame,” Robespierre said.

I wasn’t so fond of the humor at times. All the raunchy conversations padded the runtime. Still, that’s how most people cover up pain. We don’t always know the right way to have conversations. This film is an initiative.

Obvious Child is a sincere and boldly empathetic project. The final scene is my favorite, with Donna standing her ground in an impactful demonstration of growth.

Obvious Child will clash with a wave of opinions with its subject matter, which is what the film world is all about. Take a chance and watch it. It’s warmly funny and heartwarming.