Obvious Child: A Heartwarming Abortion Comedy

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > Cinema Discusso > Obvious Child: A Heartwarming Abortion Comedy

axelblaze: Oct 18, 2006; Congratulations The One Concern!!!

You're addicted to Ivory!!

_{and...oh my...could you please...

oh my...}; Grimey Drawer

I couldn't find a poster that I both liked and was big enough so let's just use this:

So to just quickly summarize what this movie is about, Jenny Slate plays a stand up comedian who after being dumped by her boyfriend (who has also been cheating on her with one of her friends) has a one night stand with a very nice guy who she doesn't really plan on ever seeing again, just to find out soon afterwards that she is pregnant. She immediately decides that the best thing to do would be to get an abortion and the movie just sort of follows her as we see how this effects her life and her outlook.

I'm just going to come out and say it that this is probably the most pro-choice movie I've ever seen. the problem with alot of movies about this topic is that the abortion has to be the focus and it has to, one way or the other, let you know how you're supposed to feel about it. This movie just sort of accepts an abortion as something women go through. There's never really discussions of the morality of it or an attempt to get a pro-life viewpoint in here. This is a movie that isn't interested in the politics of Abortion but more in showing how it actually exists within the world. It's a movie that deals with the actual rather than the theoretical. It's not a movie that wants to convince anybody or even argue with them. The main character doesn't want this baby and she decides to have an abortion. Some things come up as a result of this but the morality of it isn't even brought up. This movie is pro-choice not in that it gives a convincing argument but more it feels it doesn't even need to bother.

The movie is more about the characters than it is about the abortion anyways. You might have read this far and thought that you don't want to sit through an abortion movie but it's not really one. It's more about the characters and their lives and how they develop over time. The abortion is central, but it's not really about it. What you have hear is a warm, funny movie with relatable moments, likable characters, great performances and some pretty funny stand up. Hell it even has a cameo from David Cross playing a horrible douchebag so even if you don't like him there's something here for you!

I feel I've said enough. Everything else I could say would just be plot stuff or talking about how good individual actors or actresses are (they're all quite good) so all I can really add is trust me when I say this is a good movie you should see (I take no responsibility if you end up hating it). For what ti's worth, It'll probably be the best romantic comedy you see this year.

Here's a trailer that could be worse and at least gives an okay sense of the films sense of humor (though it makes it look at least slightly more quirky than it actually is):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2GN3wdfqbA

# ? Jun 20, 2014 06:12

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# ? May 6, 2024 22:11

Yoshifan823: Feb 19, 2007; by FactsAreUseless

Everyone should watch this movie. It goes a long way to normalize abortion, and is also riotously funny. Jenny Slate is fantastic, and will hopefully get a lot more work because of this movie.

# ? Jun 20, 2014 06:47

Xibanya: Sep 17, 2012; Clever Betty

I'm really intrigued. I'm always for films that show women with agency. Not a big fan of rom-coms, but typically that's because their women don't have any real choices. Thanks for alerting me to this film.

# ? Jun 21, 2014 07:01

Rodent Mortician: Mar 17, 2009; SQUEAK.

I saw this last night and it was terrific. Like everyone has said, the performances are great, and it's got a very human touch to it. One thing I really liked is that they never try to justify her abortion. They don't make her into a perfect person that a bad thing happened to. Instead, she's a real person who makes a series of poor choices and is dealing with the fallout.

# ? Jun 21, 2014 14:35

Mr Ice Cream Glove: Apr 22, 2007

Kristan Hawkins from Students for Life of America saw it and well she cried

quote:

Even though I might have the only person crying in the theater (of half a dozen people), when the suction machine turned on, I know they all were thinking the same thing. Was was being sucked out? Is it really a blob of tissue or something more?

Oblivious Child, oops, I mean Obvious Child, was smartly written, including all of the Planned Parenthood logos and hitting the supposedly important talking points. But it will never be made into sequel, because the story ended. Donna�s preborn baby was killed. She entered into a new relationship that is at great risk for falling apart because of the abortion.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2014/07/01/obvious-child-op-ed

# ? Jul 2, 2014 01:14

axelblaze: Oct 18, 2006; Congratulations The One Concern!!!

You're addicted to Ivory!!

_{and...oh my...could you please...

oh my...}; Grimey Drawer

Mr Ice Cream Glove posted:

Kristan Hawkins from Students for Life of America saw it and well she cried

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Hollywood/2014/07/01/obvious-child-op-ed

There isn't a :jerkbag:

bid enough.

There's honestly so much wrong with that it's hard to know where to begin. It's just hilarious to me that she think the crazy, not true to life scenario is the one where the woman gets an abortion rather than Knocked Up and Juno where a person keeps it because...they feel like it I guess.

axelblaze fucked around with this message at 01:25 on Jul 2, 2014

# ? Jul 2, 2014 01:21

Mr Ice Cream Glove: Apr 22, 2007

axleblaze posted:

There isn't a bid enough.

There's honestly so much wrong with that it's hard to know where to begin. It's just hilarious to me that she think the crazy, not true to life scenario is the one where the woman gets an abortion rather than Knocked Up and Juno where a person keeps it because...they feel like it I guess.

They do not like the idea that a woman gets an abortion and does not regret it or go into a spiral of depression.

# ? Jul 2, 2014 02:54

Mr Ice Cream Glove: Apr 22, 2007

Great comments on that article

quote:

So, two people cannot control their urges, have an unprotected
one night stand, Kill the Fetus, and this is entertainment? What is this, Ghoul Theatre?

Good thing your "Parents" did not think the same way, isn't it, Libbies? Sleep well at night, Pro-Abortion Baby Murderers. Sleep well.

______________________

Later, she finds that she has contracted HIV and contaminated the local abortion mill resulting in infecting the other women in her area. Part Two the sequel, deals with how her HIV positive causes her to continue to 'evolve' as a liberal woman, eventually becoming President of the United States.

____________________

What about the "choice" to rob a house, or to shoot your spouse, or to set fire to an orphanage? Should we allow those "choices" even if we "don't agree with them"?

_______________________________

A late twenty something woman who takes no responsibility for her sexually active life? Doesn't even care about protecting herself against STDs? A vacuous woman whose own image depends on what her peers think. Total emptiness.

______________________________________________

The vast majority (90%+) of abortions are committed by Democrats on future Democrats, that's why the Democrats are flooding the country with illegals, they've killed off their future voting stock.

______________________________________________

To start with, I cannot concede the movie was smartly made; smart would've, to me, implied sensitivity and intelligence on the part of the abortee (or maybe murderess?). I find little evidence that ANY abortion is "smartly" gone through, they always end the same: a killed baby and an unfortunate victim of lethal cultural propaganda with a smarting (no pun intended) conscience. Hardly smart. Now the artists involved with this thinly veiled paean to the joys of killing one's offspring may think they're CLEVER and "smart," but I can't agree.They. to me, are shallow and pathetic.For they've made an awful piece of propaganda similar to what the nazi's might've done re the Jews: trivialize a holocaust that still goes on, BTW. Some 60,000,000 unrepeatable humans slain since 1973, all real nice and legal. An atheist's dream.

# ? Jul 3, 2014 00:20

Big Bad Voodoo Lou: Jan 1, 2006

Saw it today and loved it. Hilarious and heartfelt, and it made me think about how different things could have gone for the heroines in Juno and Knocked Up (and why didn't they, aside from the fact that both movies would have been a lot shorter).

But Jenny Slate was wonderful, as she always is, and hopefully she'll get some higher-profile roles from here. And I liked that the guy was a decent guy and not the usual callous jerk, and that nobody tried to talk her out of it.

# ? Jul 6, 2014 01:25

Ravenfood: Nov 4, 2011

My only regret was that it didn't come out on or near Valentine's Day. Other than that, this is an absolutely fabulous movie, and more people should see it. Smart, funny, and honestly romantic.

# ? Jul 6, 2014 02:45

raditts: Feb 21, 2001; The Kwanzaa Bot is here to protect me.

axleblaze posted:

There isn't a bid enough.

There's honestly so much wrong with that it's hard to know where to begin. It's just hilarious to me that she think the crazy, not true to life scenario is the one where the woman gets an abortion rather than Knocked Up and Juno where a person keeps it because...they feel like it I guess.

Well in Juno she was guilted out of the idea, wasn't she? And then she winds up giving it up for adoption instead, at least they didn't make her mope over that.

Mr Ice Cream Glove posted:

Great comments on that article

I love how the outrage over poo poo like this always boils down to :siren:

FEMALE RESPONSIBILITY :siren:

The next step is to make a movie that actively trolls these kinds of people.

quote:

Later, she finds that she has contracted HIV and contaminated the local abortion mill resulting in infecting the other women in her area.

Do I have a gross misunderstanding of how abortions happen or does this not make any sense whatsoever?

raditts fucked around with this message at 15:06 on Jul 16, 2014

# ? Jul 16, 2014 15:02

Nucleic Acids: Apr 10, 2007

raditts posted:

I love how the outrage over poo poo like this always boils down to FEMALE RESPONSIBILITY
The next step is to make a movie that actively trolls these kinds of people.

And every measure at "responsibility" before pregnancy is denounced by the same crowd.

raditts posted:

Do I have a gross misunderstanding of how abortions happen or does this not make any sense whatsoever?

Unless it's a reference to that horribly unsafe abortion doctor in... Philadelphia, I think it was, it really can't work like this if the clinic follows even basic safety procedures.

I think responses like these really do illustrate why a movie like this is so important: it really can help the idea of getting an abortion become more mainstream, and hopefully, be less affected by these pro-life ideas.

# ? Jul 16, 2014 16:30

Rodent Mortician: Mar 17, 2009; SQUEAK.

I mean also that early along she'd probably just get the pill anyway over having an actual procedure. It kind of annoyed me that they showed her being put under, but I understood it was better for the dramatic arc of the story.

# ? Jul 16, 2014 16:36

Lord Krangdar: Oct 24, 2007; These are the secrets of death we teach.

Rodent Mortician posted:

I mean also that early along she'd probably just get the pill anyway over having an actual procedure. It kind of annoyed me that they showed her being put under, but I understood it was better for the dramatic arc of the story.

Yeah its weird how nobody ever talks about that option. Everyone I know who has had an abortion (afaik) has done it with Mifepristone, and if more people knew about that they would probably be less freaked out by the whole process.

# ? Jul 16, 2014 17:34

raditts: Feb 21, 2001; The Kwanzaa Bot is here to protect me.

Lord Krangdar posted:

Yeah its weird how nobody ever talks about that option. Everyone I know who has had an abortion (afaik) has done it with Mifepristone, and if more people knew about that they would probably be less freaked out by the whole process.

There was an article I saw not too long ago about someone, I think it was a nurse, who did a video about her going to get an abortion done, specifically to debunk anything false about it and to show people that it's not something to be afraid of.

The comments on the article went about how you would expect. Reading it was like playing "Fat, Ugly, or Slutty: Abortion Edition."
It seems that people who are that staunchly anti-abortion aren't willing to watch or learn anything that might challenge their views, and I suspect this movie will be no different.

# ? Jul 16, 2014 19:27

Rodent Mortician: Mar 17, 2009; SQUEAK.

Lord Krangdar posted:

Yeah its weird how nobody ever talks about that option. Everyone I know who has had an abortion (afaik) has done it with Mifepristone, and if more people knew about that they would probably be less freaked out by the whole process.

It's still world's better than the pro-life drivel that was "Gimme Shelter". They literally locked the kid into a doctor's room with a tray with a turkey baster on it to get ready for her evil forced abortion. I have no idea what they were going to do with the turkey baster.

# ? Jul 17, 2014 00:39

uublog: Jul 19, 2012; "World Champions. WORLD FUCKING CHAMPIONS." - Chase Utley, October 31, 2008; Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA

I got out of work early today, so I schlepped like half an hour to see this because only two theaters in my area have it anymore. Everything that has previously been stated about how matter-of-fact the abortion was is 100% correct. It wasn't giving the audience any kind of decision to follow Donna to make, it just put her actions out there and said, "This was a thing that happened. This is what led to it. This is how it affected people."

For those reasons, I almost feel bad for the extreme right-wingers who watched it, who felt like their opinions weren't even brought up, except not at all, because they knew it would make them angry, and they really like to angry at these types of things. So I've spent most of my night laughing at their responses to it, and it's almost as enjoyable as the movie itself. They really do make for the best troll victims.

Some of the Breitbart idiots above seem to have made their way to IMDb, as well

quote:

"Sad that it's funny to some"

How sad that the abortion decision is treated so lightly. But it's just a movie, so it's not real life. In real life, she would be haunted the rest of her life in the quiet hours of the morning by her decision.

But then, hey, it's an abortion movie promoted by the abortion industry, so let's all laugh about how crazy life is, yeah? Funny that adoption never came up. There are millions of infertile couples that would have loved to have given the baby a chance at life.

Wife and I adopted an infant girl. The birth mom had planned to abort, but met with pro-lifers outside the clinic and thought it would be better to deliver and give the unplanned child a gift. We are forever grateful to that mom and she has certainly earned enough positive karma to last a lifetime. For the women who choose abortion, not so much.
-----------------------

"A fun look at infanticide..."

This movie is a film about a skank who gets knocked up and has an abortion. Her child's corpse, which is stabbed and sucked out of her vagina, is sold as medical waste and ends up as fuel for power plants in the Northwest US.

There were so many lame attempts at humor that were merely childish at best--jokes that may have brought a laugh in grade school about "penis" and "vagina".

I felt dirty just from watching this skank on screen. In real life... we have names for people who cannot control their sexual behavior.

The only happy ending in this movie is the one when it ends.
-----------------------

"A sad 'butchering' of talent"

If Satan were a movie critic he'd likely give the abortion-themed romantic comedy an enthusiastic "two horns up."

This is a piece of baneful propaganda designed to seduce viewers into believing that the termination of a pregnancy -- to employ the widespread Orwellian euphemism for this tragic act -- is really no big deal. In fact, according to writer-director Gillian Robespierre's deplorable film, an expansion of her 2009 short of the same title, killing a baby in the womb can serve as the gateway to a bright and fulfilling future.

Just ask down-on-her-luck twentysomething Donna Stern (Jenny Slate). A vulgar-minded stand-up comedian, Donna specializes in regaling her audience with tales of her sex life with live-in boyfriend Ryan (Paul Briganti).

In a classic case of opposites attracting, the free spirit and a button- down preppy take a shine to each other. So, once Max(Jake Lacy) has been vetted by Donna's gay friend Joey (Gabe Liedman), he and Donna repair to his apartment for what all concerned assume will be a one-night stand.

Fast-forward a few weeks and it turns out that their encounter has had more lasting consequences. Donna is resolute from the outset, however, that abortion is the only option for her.

Throughout the events that follow, Robespierre treats the taking of innocent human life as something between an unpleasant necessity -- on the order of having your wisdom teeth removed -- and a rite of passage. Under the latter heading, we learn that Donna's sympathetic roommate Nellie (Gaby Hoffmann), among others, has undergone the experience and emerged from it emotionally unscathed and morally unrepentant.

Asked if she ever thinks about her abortion, Nellie reveals the depths of her narcissism by saying that she does so occasionally and that it makes her sad -- for her teenage self. But, she adamantly concludes, for Donna's benefit and ours, "I never regret it."

Worse is yet to come, though, as Donna not only jokes about the impending procedure in private, but makes it the subject of one of her monologues. The fact that they manage to strengthen their relationship while colluding in the liquidation of their unborn child will only bother the backward, sarcastically speaking; all right-thinking moviegoers will welcome Donna's improved prospects.

With Donna on the operating table, drugged and largely oblivious, smiling dopily as the machinery of death quietly gears up, the soothing sight is meant to convey how painless an abortion can be, at least for the mother.

A better interpretation of the image, however, might be to see Donna, at that moment, as the embodiment of a society lulled to narcotic indifference by one of the oldest, most convenient and most destructive falsehoods in human history -- namely, the idea that some class or category of human beings are not in fact human, and that they are not therefore endowed by their creator with rights of which no individual and no government can ever legitimately deprive them.

The star is for the 'acting'
-------------------------

"Was there a point?"

I see only one woman has reviewed this, so that partially redeems women, who seem largely responsible for this mess. This story seems to have been told and re-told lately, and I'd like a new one, please. Late 20s-something female in the Big City is adrift, playing at "comedy" (although neither my wife nor I saw anything to laugh at), rejected (quite rightly) by her boyfriend, and has a nothing job in a bookstore that's going out of business. New guy inexplicably falls for her, they have sex, she gets pregnant, decides to have an abortion, eventually tells him, he says nothing but supports her by going with her to the clinic, and then they start to watch Gone With the Wind (although where are the bells in the opening soundtrack of GWTW?). Sadly, the Jenny Slate character doesn't seem to have any redeeming qualities. Self-pity is not a redeeming quality. There is no indication whatsoever as to why the guy falls for her, other than the fact that she seems to be available and drunk. And I have to say the abrupt ending threw me.

So�after spending almost two hours of my life, what's my takeaway here? Abortion good, hard work bad? Some guys will date almost anyone? What's the point in trying because I can't be as good as my mother? If this was indeed about abortion, as some seem to think, it doesn't get much air time�Jenny says "I thought about it" and leaves it at that. We have no indication as to what thoughts entered her mind. The guy has no say. Really? The only likable character was her mother: was this to remind us that that "Thirty-Something" (where the actress gained fame and fortune) was actually a far superior show about young people? And I'm sorry, but why the title? "Obvious Child"? Who's the child? Jenny? If it's the aborted baby, why on earth is he/she obvious? And if it's Jenny, are we supposed to celebrate that fact that she's 28 or so and totally clueless? Is that a good thing? Sorry, thumbs way down from me.

God Bless America! :patriot:

As an aside, all of the acting was terrific, and I hope everyone gets an influx of more great roles out of this. I hadn't seen Richard Kind in something substantial in way too long, and it still saddens me that Jake Lacy was replaced in that show that went nowhere last summer from the HIMYM guys. Gaby Hoffmann, who I can't for the life of me place in something I've seen recently -- though I did find this great interview from when she was 15 -- and Jenny's comedy partner Gabe Liedman were also delightful.

Lastly, I loved the doctor wearing Crocs at the end, and wondered if Donna even noticed that, considering she was pretty out of it at that point.

# ? Jul 17, 2014 03:51

Big Bad Voodoo Lou: Jan 1, 2006

uublog posted:

Gaby Hoffmann, who I can't for the life of me place in something I've seen recently -- though I did find this great interview from when she was 15

She played a woman Louie was dating in a third-season episode of Louie, who dumped him in a diner when it became obvious he didn't like her and wanted to break up, but couldn't bring himself to dump her.

# ? Jul 17, 2014 04:37

axelblaze: Oct 18, 2006; Congratulations The One Concern!!!

You're addicted to Ivory!!

_{and...oh my...could you please...

oh my...}; Grimey Drawer

She also played the title role in the movie Crystal Fairy but I'm not sure anyone other than me watched that movie.

# ? Jul 17, 2014 04:39

Mr Ice Cream Glove: Apr 22, 2007

She also was on HBO Girls. She played the author who's book reading Hannah went to.

# ? Jul 18, 2014 01:20

Yoshifan823: Feb 19, 2007; by FactsAreUseless

Mr Ice Cream Glove posted:

She also was on HBO Girls. She played the author who's book reading Hannah went to.

No, that's Jenny Slate. Gaby Hoffmann played Adam's sister on Girls.

# ? Jul 18, 2014 01:31

TrixRabbi: Aug 20, 2010; Time for a little robot chauvinism!

axleblaze posted:

She also played the title role in the movie Crystal Fairy but I'm not sure anyone other than me watched that movie.

I saw Crystal Fairy and even put it on my Top 10 of 2013. It's amazing and I was so excited when Gaby Hoffman showed up here.

# ? Jul 18, 2014 17:40

Assepoester: Jul 18, 2004; Can't post for 10 years!; Melman v2

uublog posted:

Lastly, I loved the doctor wearing Crocs at the end, and wondered if Donna even noticed that, considering she was pretty out of it at that point.

Doctors loving love Crocs. Comfy and easy to remove and clean.

# ? Jul 23, 2014 03:43

raditts: Feb 21, 2001; The Kwanzaa Bot is here to protect me.

Cardboard Box A posted:

Doctors loving love Crocs. Comfy and easy to remove and clean.

I thought that was Shorts.

# ? Jul 23, 2014 05:02

Die Sexmonster!: Nov 30, 2005

raditts posted:

I thought that was Shorts.

No, shorts are comfy and easy to wear. Completely different.

# ? Jul 23, 2014 15:37

AH_7921: Sep 1, 2013; I NEED HELP

uublog posted:

This movie is a film about a skank who gets knocked up and has an abortion. Her child's corpse, which is stabbed and sucked out of her vagina, is sold as medical waste and ends up as fuel for power plants in the Northwest US.

Do I just really not understand how power plants work?

I loved the movie, but I was also bothered by them never bringing up the morning after pill. It reminded me to stock up.

# ? Dec 2, 2014 22:30

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# ? May 6, 2024 22:11

LaughMyselfTo: Nov 15, 2012; by XyloJW

I really want to see a movie this intelligent from a pro-life perspective? Because I really believe in my heart of hearts that there are mentally healthy, mentally sound pro-lifers out there with interesting arguments, but I have not seen any. The "national debate" is boring as poo poo.

# ? Dec 2, 2014 22:36

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > Cinema Discusso > Obvious Child: A Heartwarming Abortion Comedy