The Pregnancy Project

Mature-looking teenager Alexa Vega (as Gaby Rodriguez) proposes an interesting and unusual research project, during her senior year of high school. Her "A Social Experiment – Attitudes Toward Teen Pregnancy" seeks to document stereotypes about pregnant girls in school. She also wants to prove pregnant girls can succeed as well as others, by graduating high school and going to college. Known as a smart and college-bound student, Ms. Vega decides to pretend she is pregnant. Her mother and principal approve the ruse, and boyfriend Walter Perez (as Jorge) agrees to go along. As expected, Vega is the target of rude and insensitive comments at school. People look only at her fake belly and think she's dumb...

This good story idea is given a very tepid treatment. Although director Norman Buckley and the crew handle the assignment adeptly, Vega never looks or acts like she's really pregnant – her options are never really explored and she appears too old and mature to be convincing in the role. Not sure where this was supposed to take place, but modern schools are much more accommodating of pregnant students, teachers and staff. One role that does work is Vega's honestly pregnant friend Laci J Mailey (as Tyra), who is the most interesting character in the story. In the movie's best scene, Ms. Mailey performs as if she's discovered Vega isn't really pregnant. Of course, she would know. Alas, this promising development ends there.

**** The Pregnancy Project (1/28/12) Norman Buckley ~ Alexa Vega, Walter Perez, Laci J Mailey, Judy Reyes

The Pregnancy Project follows Gaby, a senior in high school who has straight A's and is without a doubt headed for college. Gaby comes from a family of teen pregnancy, her sister Sonya having a kid at the age Gaby is now. For her senior project Gaby decides to fake being pregnant, only letting her boyfriend, her mom, and few others in on her secret. But what starts out as an understanding of statistics turns into an social experiment about stereotyping that opens Gaby to a entirely different world.

The film is based off a book and the real life experience of its main character Gaby Rodriguez. Like from any point of view of a teenager there's a lot of fresh insight but also a bit of naivety. Gaby is ignorant to the fact that having a baby is a naturally hard job, stereotype or not, and it's not with you for only eighteen years as you are a parent the rest of your life. But her message triumphs her ignorance as she's able to make it clear. No one gives Gaby a chance the second they find out she's pregnant, as soon as it's out to everyone else her life is over. No college, 'get in line for welfare', are among the expectations for her. Though she's 'pregnant' Gaby hasn't changed, she's still the smart girl who wants to go to college, but no one else sees it.

Acting is good, Alexa Vegas is convincing as Gaby, she's able to turn her emotions on whim for the odd hormonal toll Gaby went through. Judy Reyers is also good as her mother who supports her throughout the process, but also reminds her that Gaby is only experiencing things at surface value. The rest of cast is in general background noise, having either negative reactions to the pregnancy or those who support her. The cinematography for the film is quite good for what I expect of a Lifetime film, but from the message boards I heard it didn't quite capture the true spirit of the school and town Gaby is from.

The Pregnancy Project is not about teen pregnancy, its a reflection on how we as society see people and how we too often pass judgment. The film like another of its kind, Juno, will warrant a lot of negativity as it doesn't portray teen pregnancy in that nature we tend to expect (i.e. crying mothers, abandoning boyfriends, college dropouts), in other words it doesn't confine to the stereotype. In that I think the film speaks for itself.