“You’re dizzy because you played Russian roulette with your vagina.“
I came across Obvious Child (2014) whilst searching for more films to watch for the 52 Films by Women project. Obvious Child was both written and directed by Gillian Robespierre, who said whilst she loved films like Knocked Up (2007) and Juno (2007), she did not see herself relating to them and set out to make an honest and fun film about abortion.
The film follows Donna (Jenny Slate), a stand-up comic in her late twenties who becomes pregnant after a drunken one night stand. Obvious Child opens with Donna performing at her comedy club as she jumps straight into talking about how disgusting women’s underwear can get yet how normal it is. It was something that screamed at me “a woman wrote this film” but I absolutely love that about Obvious Child.
I am also thoroughly impressed with how Robespierre wrote the character of Donna, as well as how Slate portrayed her. Donna is an average looking woman who is not afraid to show when she is depressed or when she’s so pathetically hurt over a guy. But on the other hand, Donna touches on feminism with discussing what happens in women’s underwear and she sticks to her gut with getting an abortion and doesn’t consider keeping it. She’s not afraid to talk about poop, or to let a guy she’s interested in look over at a medical form she’s filling in, revealing that mental illness runs in her family. It’s so refreshing to not only see a film that portrays abortion as simply a woman just getting an abortion, but to see this woman as a mixture of characteristics that give her both the strengths and weaknesses of being a complex woman.
The way Obvious Child tackled abortion is extraordinary as Donna never went back and forth thinking about what she wanted, there were no protesters outside of Planned Parenthood and none one looked down on her for her decision – she just knew that she wanted an abortion and that’s what she got. The film did use some comedy around this area as Donna found out that the only two dates available for her abortion appointment were her Mother’s birthday and Valentine’s Day (which she chose).
A scene in the film that particularly stood out to me is when Donna went to her mother Nancy’s (Polly Draper) house around midnight and woke her up. She was upset and got into bed with her mother, informing her that she’s pregnant and is getting an abortion. Nancy was relieved that this was the problem and Donna was also relieved that her mother wasn’t angry with her. Nancy then explains that she had an abortion when she was younger, before Donna was conceived. The two then bond further by having a laugh and making some jokes. This scene reminded me greatly of the relationship I have with my own mother as I could see this happening between us.
Obvious Child is heartbreaking, hilarious and overall an uplifting comedy. Donna gets an abortion, gets the guy and everything is okay.
★★★★
Leave a Reply