Obvious Child

The romcom Obvious Child has been hanging around Netflix for a few years, and rightfully so, for it tackles with comedic insight another enduring cultural staple, "the one-night rebound stand after the breakup." It will take only 84 min to see how writer-director Gillian Robespierre can make this serious subject and its constant companion, abortion (Will she or won't she?), comedic and socially acceptable to discuss on a casual date.

Of course, the other reason Obvious Child is a success is its lead, Jenny Slate, playing stand-up comedian Donna Stern. Slate is natural, self-effacing and cute, not quite smashing but attractive enough to make our experience pleasant and sympathetic without being awestruck by abnormal beauty and charisma.

Besides giving varying degrees of standup, from bright contemporary topics to her abortion, funny to bomb, Slate has a sweet charm that makes you want to be a part of her life while she also makes you chuckle. Not hilarious, just smile inducing as we get used to her candor with her anecdotes that make us sometimes uncomfortable but always empathetic.

The boyfriend who dumped her, Ryan (Paul Briganti), is scruffy and unfaithful while one-night-stand Max (Jack Lacy) is all-American and much nicer than he has to be, probably one of the best rebounds in romcom history. You could do worse than watch this on a pandemic night; it sure will take your mind off our viral reality.

"Creative energy sometimes comes from the lowest point in your life."

Based on her short film Gillian Robespierre writes and directs her first feature length film about a comedienne who has recently been dumped by her boyfriend. It is a rom-com that has received a lot of praise for the way it tackles the issues of womanhood and abortion. The main character in this film is played by Jenny Slate and she is going through some rough patches in her life. Not only has her boyfriend recently dumped her for her best friend, but she is about to lose her job because the bookstore she works at is closing down, and she also gets pregnant after meeting a nice guy at one of her shows. Her comedic routine isn't actually working either because it is based on her everyday experiences and lately it seems to be more depressing than funny. Her brand of humor is mostly self- deprecating, but I had a difficult time finding it funny. I'm in the minority here considering most people have found this film funny, but I didn't find the humor in it. Slate basically plays a woman-child who is struggling to cope with the fact she has to become an adult. The comedy tries to be raw and honest, but I simply didn't find it interesting or funny. The romance also feels conventional at times. The film doesn't make a big deal out of abortion and that is why it has received much praise for the way it underplays the controversial issue. The film relies entirely on Jenny Slate's performance and unfortunately I never found her humor funny so that is the reason why it didn't work for me. There are way too many fart jokes in this film as well.

Obvious Child is a film that relies entirely on the screenplay and its cast because there is nothing special in the visual department. Unfortunately I found the screenplay and the main character a bit annoying. I already mentioned how the comedic aspect of the film didn't work for me, but I will give it a little more credit for the romantic side of it. It might be clichéd in some parts, but there is chemistry between Slate and Jake Lacy, who plays the sweet and patient guy who she meets during one of her shows. The film works best when the two are together, you get that uncomfortable feeling from both when they first meet or when they want to communicate something to each other. Richard Kind and Polly Draper play Slate's parents who are separated (and you can see why when you meet both of them separately in the way they treat their daughter because they feel like oil and water). Then you have Gaby Hoffmann playing the best friend role and sharing several scenes with Slate. None of these performances really stood out for me but they weren't bad either. I just didn't find Slate's character all that interesting or funny, and at times she really annoyed me. I am glad that the film is short because those 80 minutes still felt a bit tedious considering I was never able to connect with the characters.

Obvious Child delivered 84 minutes of witty dialogue , excellent performance (Jenny Slate)and humor mixed with light drama . It's ingenuity forces the viewer to feel the attractiveness of the actors even when conventional beauty is scarce . There are no super models in Obvious Child , no flashy implants , and no forced nudity , but the movie draws a constant smile on your face from beginning to end credits.I'm no big fan of rom-coms but this movie changed my mind. Yes a lot will discuss the morals of the movie (abortion) and take sides (with or against) but the value of this movie , in my humble opinion, is outside that debate . its fun and warm and deserves a double watching experience .did I say that Jenny Slate was wonderful ?

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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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.