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During the summer, Hollywood tends to focus on big-budget thrillers and big-name stars. But if you’re tired of the summer explosions and effects, there are plenty of smaller movies hitting theaters this summer, too—like Gillian Robespierre’s controversial indie romantic dramedy, Obvious Child. You just need to work a little harder to find them.
A favorite from this year’s South by Southwest festival, Obvious Child follows twenty-something stand-up comic Donna Stern (Jenny Slate) on an unexpected romantic adventure. After her boyfriend dumps her, Donna goes into a downward spiral, concluding in a drunken one-night stand with Max (Jake Lacy), a handsome stranger who’s the exact opposite of her usual type.
A few weeks later, when Donna discovers that she’s pregnant, she does the only thing that makes sense to her: she schedules an abortion. But when Max shows up one day and asks her out on a real date, she’s not sure whether to avoid him or tell him the truth.
It’s easy to stir up controversy by calling Obvious Child an “abortion rom-com.” But while Donna’s decision to end her pregnancy definitely plays a role in her story, it isn’t the story. Sure, the topic often comes up, as Donna rather openly discusses her upcoming appointment with friends and family (and even comedy club patrons). And that’s where the controversy comes in: because, as far as the characters are concerned, it’s a non-issue. There’s no debate, no questioning whether it’s the right thing to do, no second thoughts. The only real question is how to pay for it.
For the most part, then, Obvious Child is simply a story about a girl looking for love in the big city. It’s about breakups, drunk dialing, rebounds, and new possibilities. It’s also about awkward attempts at comedy—which, instead of making viewers laugh out loud will generally make them feel increasingly uncomfortable. Donna’s stand-up acts—even the ones that are supposed to be funny—are only occasionally funny, in an angry, bitter kind of way. Her performances are painfully self-conscious—and often Donna is (for good reason) the only one laughing at her jokes.
The rest of the film’s humor, meanwhile, revolves around various bodily functions, which seems to go against the unspoken indie film code. It may be acceptable for mainstream comedies to cater to the lowest common denominator, but indie comedies, as a general rule, tend to be smarter. And the abundance of fart jokes in a small comedy like this one is definitely a disappointment.
In the end, Obvious Child is a missed opportunity. It could have tackled a controversial topic in a meaningful way. And it might have been an honest, heartfelt film if it weren’t so uncomfortable. Instead, it’s just another outrageous chick flick—with a smaller budget.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
