The film "Obvious Child" is coming to Maine this week. Writer and director Gillian Robespierre’s  “abortion rom-com” was released in limited cities at the beginning of June. The film’s major roll out is happening at the end of this week – Friday, June 27th. Reviewers have already been praising the film, calling it hilarious, honest, and refreshing.

The premise of the film is nothing new: two people meet unexpectedly, they share a brief romantic and/or sexual encounter, and the audience spends the rest of the film wondering if the two people will or won't become a couple. But, despite its conventional structure, the film presents something revolutionary: an abortion decision is a major catalyst for the plot. Robespierre even ups the ante by depicting the abortion procedure on-screen, showing the audience that an abortion is a safe and uncomplicated procedure. Of course, the abortion isn’t the only plot point. Like characters in other romantic comedies, the main character, stand-up comic Donna (played by Jenny Slate) experiences a multitude of other issues, including a break-up and the loss of a job. Critics liken the film to pregnancy rom-coms such as “Juno” and “Knocked Up,” arguing that, in the face of these kinds of films in which “heroines make the heartwarming decision to go ahead with their pregnancies, this modest little indie movie feels momentous.” 

While the humor in the film may be refreshing, it is also important to note that this film, like most rom-com films, presents a reality that many of us will not experience. Or, as critic Katie McDonough writes, Robespierre's film is like a "revolutionary fairy tale." "Obvious Child" depicts a world without legislative restrictions against abortion care. Donna is able to access an abortion without any unnecessary and time-consuming road blocks. The film also depicts a world without abortion stigma. Donna has the full support of everyone in her life. She is able to have the procedure and, as far as the audience can tell, is eventually able to move on with her life. The ease with which Donna experiences her abortion is (as McDonough writes) undoubtedly connected to her privilege - her whiteness, her class, and her geography - but the film doesn't address any of these issues. 

Despite these issues, Robespierre's film is hugely significant. Several months ago, I blogged about a study done by ANSIRH on abortion in popular media. Researchers found that films often propagated untruths about abortions, adding to abortion stigma. Slate's Amanda Hess cites the same study in an article she wrote earlier this month detailing how abortion has been treated in recent popular films. While "Obvious Child" doesn't exactly depict the reality of the socio-political landscape when it comes to abortion in the U.S., it  does depict some important truths: abortions are safe and uncomplicated procedures; the decision to have an abortion is not one that women take lightly; and having an abortion will not ruin a woman's life. 

Beginning Friday, June 27, "Obvious Child" will be showing at three theaters in Maine: The Nickelodeon (Portland), Eveningstar Cinema (Brunswick), and Railroad Square Cinema (Waterville).

In other reproductive rights news, we can expect to hear opinions from the Supreme Court on two major cases very soon: Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (contraceptives mandate) and McCullen v. Coakley (abortion clinic buffer zones). These cases are two of four left to be decided. SCOTUS is in session tomorrow – Thursday – but it is unclear whether or not opinions in these cases will be read tomorrow or early next week. If you’d like to read the latest on these two cases and other cases before the Supreme Court, check out SCOTUSblog