Seriously…what’s the deal with babies?! Image via Sundance
Obvious Child has been labeled as “that abortion movie,” which is the equivalent of labeling Trainspotting as “that heroin movie.” Obvious Child is not a film about a controversial topic, it is a film about people dealing with issues and, well, being people.
Obvious Child is the feature film debut of writer-director Gillian Robespierre who, despite sharing the last name of an evil historical figure, has a gentle touch in dealing with tough and sensitive issues. Sometimes, Obvious Child feels so naturalistic that it resembles something that is not even a film at all. It tells the story of Donna Stern (Jenny Slate), a Jewish comedian (I have to point this out, given that this movie is Cultural Judaism incarnate) going through a millennial crisis, which is a midlife crisis that somebody in their 20s might go through. Her stand-up is funny and honest, yet it isn’t getting her much work.