Unplanned is a film that I got to see a smidge early due to the fact that Christian groups love me. I’m not talking the Hillsong type, I’m talking the elderly people singing off-key Christian groups. But, that’s a story for another time. Today, we’re talking about how abortion change one young Christian woman’s life.
Abby Johnson was one of America’s youngest Planned Parenthood directors. She was a hot shot murdering babies and thinking she had it all. Then, something changed. After being forced to work outside of her job title, she got to assist in the abortion of a thirteen week old fetus. That’s when Dear Abby said Yes to Jesus and no to Baby Parts splattered on drop cloths.
There’s a reason why this is the first R-rated Pure Flix film. It’s time to stop being nice and start getting real about these demonic Liberals. I kid, Woke Folk. I know that most of you don’t have the energy to pull yourself away from your phones to actively volunteer at abortion clinics.
If you guys can’t get anywhere without Waze or Uber, then strolling down to the Clinic might be a step too far. Ashley Bratcher probably has to be the best young actress I’ve seen in one of these movies. I know that I’m not measuring it against much, but I have to say something. I think Pureflix is picking up on the real production notes from the opposition. So, will the secular humanists of the Internet go out of their way to check this one out?
Probably not. But, it’s not like they legit watch anything anyways. Let the real paying moviegoers give Unplanned the box office it deserves. Depending on your sociopolitical persuasion, you can read your own agenda into that.
Ashley Bratcher carries Unplanned on her back.
Ashley Bratcher kills in the lead role as Abby Johnson. Then, she stops murdering babies and gets right with the Lord. All jokes aside, this is Bratcher’s second major Christian friendly film after War Room. While we got a glimpse of real acting talent, Bratcher is doing something amazing for Pure Flix.
She’s starting to get them on the road to credibility. Before you start sending hate mail, hang with me. These movies are modern day Exploitation films designed to enrage and engage a base. That base keeps coming out, but we rarely see these films grow. For 2/3rds of Unplanned, Pure Flix tries to create something slightly more involved.
The clinic workers are presented as grounded and normal. Not everyone twirls their moustache and many support each other’s choice. However, that patented Pure Flix third act has to come into play. If you expected a George Soros slam in the middle of an abortion debate, you’re on the right track.
Yes, the MyPillow guy.
What pushed the film into crazy town was the third act cameo from MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. It’s cool for private business owners to have their personal beliefs. However, it’s odd to feel like you have to farm out a celeb cameo to the guy famous for mid-tier pillow fetishism.
But, if you can look past the final thirty minutes of the movie…Unplanned pushes opposition viewers into a new territory. You’re dealing with a Christian friendly film that treats its opposition with empathy. Not the fake empathy where Christian talking heads talk about abortion clinic workers and patients like unruly children. For 2/3rd of the film, Unplanned wants to understand the world that allows this to happen and how they can help make things better.
Then, that last third turns into the profit maker final punch. What surprises me is how that finale feels way more out of left field than anything that preceded it.
Over an hour of the film is insightful drama about a young professional copes with personal trauma and tries to make an informed decision about her future. You know, like why most young ladies find themselves visiting a Planned Parenthood clinic. A Christian oriented movie made a best-faith effort to understand why the thing they hate offers a sense of security to the people that often ignore.
Then, that Pillow guy shows up and everyone becomes a caricature. For those that know and follow the Abby Johnson story, this will play right to their interests. Honestly, most of the real life players in this film might as well be fictional to me. It wouldn’t have changed anything, as I found myself pulled into their plight to be understood.
I’ve never felt so seen by an Abortion movie.
Abortions are always a crutch in dark humor. Hell, even the over emotional find new ways to call X, Y, Z as a figurative abortion. What this film does right is actually show the best approximation of the abortion procedure. There is variance in all medical technique, so this is an overview of tactics. But, nothing is shown that would play as parody.
I appreciate that, as both sides have a responsibility to understand what they debate and sometimes physically fight over. If there’s one thing I dislike it, it would have to be when people try to over intellectualize the abortion issue. As a cold humanist, I have my feelings about abortion that might play a little closer to the coasts.
But, I understand the emotional ties that are inflamed by the subject matter for others. Ultimately, it’s a minor culture war over what matters most to the individual. Are you ruled by your heart or head? I chose to let intellect guide my life ages ago and I don’t regret it.
That being said, may you go straight to Hell if you think that your supposed intelligence means that you can besmirch those ruled by their feelings. Individuals must be allowed to carve out their own path or the great human experiment fails on every level.
If you feel brave enough to go see Unplanned this weekend, take a look at your audience. Try to understand what brought them there. Hell, talk to them after the screening. No one needs to change, but we all need to discuss more things. Exploitation disappears when taboo topics get brought into the light.
