Too Young to Be a Dad

Oh no, another made-for-TV movie about teen pregnancy...where's the remote? That's what I said when I first flipped the channel to Lifetime and "Too Young to be a Dad" was on. But since nothing else was on, I decided to watch it. And I'm glad that I did.

This movie was put a great, new twist on teen pregnancy. After Matt, a 15 year old boy, has sex with Francesca (another 15 year old), he learns that she's pregnant. Usually, films focus on the girl, but this movie chose not to. Instead, it focuses on Matt, the boy, for a change. It's a refreshing new movie about a boy who's "Too Young to be a Dad".

This is definetely worth seeing. It may not be suitable 4 boys, but it shows what sex can lead 2. ITS about a 15-year old boy who impregnates a girl in his first sexual expierence. It may seem a lil too racy, but he learns from it. This is good cuz most teen pregnancy flicks all have to do w/ the girl and this is original. See it with your mom ! :)

In reading the comments, I notice there is quite a bit written about "Too Young to be a Dad" that focus on the fact that at 15, the young boy in the film didn't feel ready to continue having sex with the more experienced young woman, who becomes pregnant.

I'm not sure why that detail was included in the script, except it was probably meant to convey that he was a little more fine-tuned than other kids his age, and therefore would make the decisions he made later on in the film.

But "Too Young to be a Dad" isn't about whether or not this kid wanted to have sex and whether or not this makes him gay or strange. It's about the reactions of two families, notably the boy's, to his getting a girl pregnant and its ramifications. Two of the finest actors around, Kathy Baker and Bruce Davison, play the boy's parents, because the story is about them as well.

In this film, the boy takes full responsibility for his part in the pregnancy, and the focus is on him rather than the girl, which is a different take, and also why this, as well as "Unwed Father" was shown on Father's Day. His actions are commendable, and the point is well made, though there are some script elements that are bothersome. First of all, what kind of a place did these people live in? The committee members the mom deals with, the kids on the bus, etc., all act as if the girl was impregnated by an alien, and they'd never heard of such a thing. Hello, teen pregnancy is QUITE common. Secondly, unlike the harsh realities of "Unwed Father," this boy is able to make his decision knowing he has tons of support from his parents and his sister - which makes it a lot easier.

Nevertheless, the movie is well-acted with some lovely scenes, particularly the one between Davison and Baker when she brings him his coffee after he loses his temper.

Pregnancy has consequences, something often lost in the fantasy of wanting a baby. The young girl in this film had no such fantasy, but many young girls do. It's good to have a few movies around that focus on adoption, parent reactions, and decisions that need to be made.

This message was horrible where the parent(s) would be adopting a child. You also portrayed a 15 year old to want to hold on so tight and not know the responsibilities of raising a child, health and the expenses until the baby is 18 years old. WTH? When he is 18 the baby would be 3 years old, then what? It would have been better off with adopted parents to help the "BABY" grow in a healthy environment. Let the young boy grow up, go to college if so desired, and get to where he could later afford to help his child. THE mother requested that she get back to her own life after the baby is born, she was disrespected of her wishes. The message gives children the idea that it is ok not to be responsible and their parents will "rescue" them," You made it so horrible that it was ok for teen pregnancy.

I had been subjected to this movie for a relationship class in my school. As figured it was nothing captivating and nothing new. Though it tries to be original by focusing on the teen father instead of the mother showing the problems that the dad would go through. It had an interesting side to it but it just doesn't live up to its originality due to the fact nothing else in this movie was original. We have the main character who has the older sister who like in every other movie like this has a thing against him, we have the stay at home mother who expects too much and when he gives more she feels offended and leaves him in the dust, then we have the father who is always gone. Then the girls side we have the parents who want everything and expect her to be perfect at all she does. On to the story like I said it was interesting but the lack of good acting from the entire cast and the lack of any good writing or storytelling. Everything about this fell into cliché the little nerd kid in school starts studying with girl, they get together, have sex and then boom we have a little kid. Perhaps it could've been better had the writing been well better and had the acting been improved I've seriously gotten more emotion out of Leatherface and his chainsaw than I did out of any actor in this film and that's pretty bad seeing as the Leatherface movies are crap and horridly acted. So far the only interesting teen pregnancy movie I've seen was Juno. So far the comical side of this serious situation has proved more entertaining while still giving the same message. Like I said the idea was original most of these films focus on the teen mother but this one chose not to instead it focuses on the drama of the father but again the originality does not save this movie from mediocrity. I really hope someone decides to either re-make this movie with a better cast and a better writer or just make another similar film because this one was wasted potential.