THE PLOT THUS FAR
A twenty-something comedienne’s unplanned pregnancy forces her to confront the realities of independent womanhood for the first time.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Obvious Child” is a sweet film, but it’s a sweet film about self-pity. I’ve had several conservative friends get really pissed at my enthusiastic support for abortion. I honestly believe that certain people shouldn’t keep certain mortal coils. If you can’t take care of yourself, I don’t need you screw up a kid that screws up more kids and it keeps going on and on. Jake Lacy doesn’t get enough credit for playing it straight and feeding off what Slate gives him. But, Slate’s character is a miserable person.
Jenny Slate is just everywhere now. That or she knows what shows I watch and finds a way to work herself onto the program. The third act problems are very real and it crops up when you adapt short films into features. There’s not a lot of leeway given to Jake Lacy’s character wanting to have a solid relationship, plus Gaby Hoffmann gets lost after helping Slate’s character to make her decision. Juggling elements is very important in the world of indie cinema, as you have to build something that can take attention away from the big league rivals. I sat down with a few people that watched this film in the summer and asked if they thought it was a romantic comedy. Nobody would call it that, but more of a look at female relations in a modern environment. Thankfully, it’s a lot less Lena Dunham and a lot more realistic.
The DVD comes with a Digital Copy, extended scenes, commentary, featurette and the original short film. The A/V Quality is strong for standard definition. The transfer is supportive, but a little muddy. The Dolby 5.1 track does the best with what it has. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: 10/07/2014