‘Obvious Child’ is a deeply political film that is all the more potent for its subterfuge as a crowd-pleaser. Dealing with an inflammatory topic – abortion – the film is bound to provoke strong responses from women and men alike. While it can be argued that the script sidesteps certain moral dilemmas, there’s something to be said for how frankly it approaches something that’s been common, if unacknowledged, throughout human experience, sans judgment. ‘Obvious Child’ abstains from common ethical arguments, instead focusing on real-world practicalities.
Concerning Donna (Jenny Slate), a young adult who works at a bookstore and practices stand-up comedy (of a deeply personal and frequently bawdy nature, setting the tone for the story), the film is consciously attuned to its lead character’s personal agency, and her strengths and flaws. (Moderate spoilers ahead.) After being insensitively dumped by her conniving boyfriend, Donna meets the charming Max (Jake Lacy), who shares her taste for irreverence, and ultimately, drunken foreplay. Three weeks later, Donna learns that her one-night stand has left her with potential long-term ramifications, while Max proves to be both an upstanding and persistent suitor.
There’s a thumb-your-nose vigor to the film, fueled by a perceptive script and Slate’s assured, frequently hilarious performance. Beneath the film’s frequently sardonic front, though, is a sobering maturity, one contextualized with quotidian poetry. The normalcy projected by the film – studiously shot and blocked, leagues ahead of most romantic comedies based on its technical merits alone – strengthens the resolve of its nearly universal themes. As a male, my insights are naturally and unavoidably limited (speaking as one who once contributed, with some regret, to the need for an abortion), but what’s nonetheless obvious about ‘Obvious Child’ is its bravery, and necessity. Time will likely prove it to be one of 2014’s most important cinematic efforts.
‘Obvious Child’ is now available for digital download, and will be released on DVD/Blu-ray on Tuesday, Oct. 7.
Robert Humanick is a contributing writer for slantmagazine.com
Follow Rob on Twitter @rhumanick