Obvious Child

It's amazing when a director's first movie is as nearly perfect as this one is. It's a marvel. It's richly funny and touching and entertaining, but it's also exactly what we as a society need right now.

Until I saw this, I hadn't noticed the extent to which the conservative nuts have turned abortion into something so vile that even its supporters are afraid to talk about it as anything but an evil last resort. It's unbelievably refreshing to spend an hour and a half in a world in which abortion is not only an acceptable alternative to childbirth but the healthy and valuable medical procedure it is in fact.

Thank God for Gillian Robespierre and the wonderful people who helped her make this movie. Jenny Slate (obviously) and Gaby Hoffmann, whose strength as an actor grows with every movie she makes, deserve special praise for their fantastic performances.

The trouble with conservative Christians is that they don't believe their own religion. If they did, they would have no objection to abortion, because it delivers the unborn child from this painful and dangerous world directly into the arms of their loving Father forever. Christians preach that God, but they don't really believe in him.

If Christians believed their own religion, they would not reject or judge anybody; they'd embrace everybody, because that's exactly what Jesus did. Jesus welcomed everybody who came to him, especially sinners; he judged and excluded nobody. He preached love and healing, not judgment and condemnation. Christians have traded their loving God (the only true god) for a false god of vengeance and terror who's no better than Allah or Kali.

Oh to be twenty-something. I'm approaching those turbulent days now. It's a tough topic really, especially if it's intended to be approached authentically. It can be utter self-indulgent trite. Obvious Child is close enough to getting it right. It suffers from a lot of familiarity in its beats, but it's well-handled enough to make it work without being overly quirky to compensate. It's mostly thanks to Jenny Slate's great performance. I only recognise her from her silly one- note part on Parks and Recreation, but here she shows off her potential. She handles the humour and drama with ease, confident with the vulnerability of her character. It has a thoroughly endearing dark wry sense of humour to go with it. However, sometimes it toes a fine line with its creative flourishes and contrivances, such as when Slate is waiting for her pregnancy test and David Cross' whole character, but it's not enough to derail the whole film. Obvious Child is small but entertaining and emotionally engaging film.

7/10

When asked about my 20s, I tell people it's a decade-long roller-coaster of mayhem, mistakes, memories and maturity. The decade where you learn about the real world, learn from one's actions and its consequences. Oh, and learning that ex-boyfriends don't really pine over you for the rest of their lives.

This is where we find Donna Stern (Jenny Slate) in OBVIOUS CHILD. Fidgeting at the gates of the dirty thirties, Donna's in an emotional crisis right now. Her boyfriend just dumped her for her girlfriend (whom he had been seeing behind her back). The bookstore where she works is closing down, placing her in the unemployment line and she's worried about not being able to afford her rent. In addition, the relationship with her mother Nancy (Polly Draper) is still complex but luckily, Donna's relationship with her dad Jacob (Richard Kind) keeps her balanced. And last but not least, Donna's recently discovered she's pregnant. With Max's (played by Jake Lacy) baby. He's the one-night-stand 'piss-farter' she met at the bar where she's performs her stand-up comedy routine.

As a way to figuring out everything in her life right now, Donna talks about these relationship issues with her friends both on and off stage. And like any irrational, insecure woman who has recently been dumped, Donna also tortures herself by drunk dialing her ex-boyfriend and 'stalking' his house to see if he'll exit with her ex-friend. 'Just one more sip' she says after each sip of her coffee until Ryan (Paul Briganti) emerges with said friend in tow.

Donna finally turns the maturity corner after inadvertently meeting preppy nice guy Max following her disastrous stage performance, and subsequently falls pregnant from their one- night-stand. The surprise pregnancy steers the film in a more controversial direction when, after carefully considering her circumstances, responsibility and readiness to be a mother, Donna decides to abort her pregnancy.

Don't think this subversive rom-com makes a mockery of abortion. It doesn't. In fact, first feature director Gillian Robespierre handles the abortion plot point with finesse: placing it in a relatable context that seriously considers the consequences of the protagonist's actions whilst weighing it against the reality of responsibility and unstable circumstances. And despite the stigma surrounding such a decision, Slate's character remains resolute in her choice throughout the rest of the film. It strengthens the ideal that it is okay to make such difficult decisions particularly when it's in one's own best interest.

It's not often one has an opportunity to watch a film about abortion that is so refreshingly candid, yet comically relatable, that you can't help but praise Robespierre and her perspective of a late 20s woman whose life so far, isn't turning out quite the way she thought it would. Literally. And like Donna's temporary spiral out of control in OBVIOUS CHILD, that's okay because eventually, you'll manage to steer yourself back on track.

In a nutshell, OBVIOUS CHILD is a sharply written comedy that unashamedly addresses real life issues with a walk down memory lane moment in there for everyone.

'OC,' was a great heartwarming film. The realism in the bits and dialogue felt very fluid. There was not a single time I felt the cringe bug. Makes you think. In a good, happy-emoting way.

Gillian Robespierre makes an endearingly funny film about unplanned pregnancy and abortion with Obvious Child. Don't believe us? Watch it! Obvious Child, written and directed by Gillian Robespierre, is the breakout indie comedy that swept up audiences hearts at both Sundance and SXSW festivals.

Obvious Child follows a stand up comedienne named Donna Stern, played by Jenny Slate. Donna was recently dumped, and not just dumped, but had her heart ripped out and stomped on by her now ex-boyfriend and needless to say she is going through a rough patch. What does one do when one is heartbroken? Well, dancing in her underwear to music, one-night stands and maintaining a certain level of drunkenness seems to be the remedy for her. Unfortunately for Donna this leads to further complications when she finds her uterus fertilized which forces her to address aspects of her life she's been avoiding.

It is incredibly difficult to tell where Donna Stern ends and Jenny Slate begins in Obvious Child. All the characters written by Robespierre are realistic, engaging and fully formed, especially Donna's best friend Nellie (Gaby Hoffmann) and straight-laced paramour Max (Jake Lacy). Whether it be from the actors' talents or the superior writing, either way, Obvious Child is a fast-paced film with entertaining and intellectual dialogue.

Obvious Child is not a film for everyone. If you gripe about the sanctity of marriage and have considered or participated in a pro-life rally then this film is probably not for you. You've been warned. Obvious Child is definitely slanted toward the liberal agenda and lucky for this film, so am I.

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