Unpregnant Review: A Teen Comedy Attempts to Change the Narrative

Presenting itself as a good time road trip teen comedy, Unpregnant threads poignancy underneath its wackiness; depicting a woman’s struggle to maintain independence over her own body in the timeliest of ways. 

Childhood friends Veronica (Haley Lu Richardson) and Bailey (Barbie Ferriera) are on a cross country quest, complete with an array unhinged hurdles they must conquer in order to reach their final destination. It’s a wildly fun ride, but those outrageous obstacles are used as a satirical approach to highlight the absurd lengths women must go to take control of their own bodies. 

That approach ends up being an incredibly compelling story, considering their final destination is Planned Parenthood. Their antics are placed against the backdrop of a teen girl working through the very relatable (and realistic) panic associated with knowing what’s right for her, but still needing to overcome unattainable limited options and a ticking clock.

For those in progressive areas, it can be easy to forget how behind the times some of this country still is; many states are working tirelessly to find ways around “Roe Vs Wade;” by implementing necessary parental consent, waiting periods, and other forms of psychological warfare in an attempt to keep women from following through with their abortions.

Here’s where the directional choices of Rachel Lee Goldenberg are most effective; juxtaposing the rugged, loud, action-packed sequences with a soft-lit, warm-toned, and completely accurate portrayal of the abortion process, she reminds us what places like Planned Parenthood actually are — a safe haven for women.

The attention to detail regarding the accuracy of the process, mixed with the depiction of a supportive environment, lands much more effectively in contrast to the harsh, brutal journey the girls must take to get there. 

It’s important to note that Veronica is not a reckless character — she’s carefully illustrated as a protagonist who follows the rules, and still somehow gets screwed over. This time, by her less than stellar boyfriend Kevin (Alex MacNicoll), who even after admitting his mistake, attempts to force her hand into a future of which she has no interest.  

Kevin’s stalker-like behavior is played for laughs, but beneath the comic relief is a true lesson on how the reckless behavior of boys is routinely allowed, while girls are so often left to deal with the consequences.

The addition of minor character, Jarrod — an intuitive boy Veronica meets in Texas — does nuanced wonders to highlight the fundamental differences between how men should, and should not, be there for women in times of crisis.  

The film’s biggest issue is its inability to exacerbate some of its best moments, and side characters. Too much time is spent with crazy evangelical pro-lifers, and not nearly enough with limo driver Bob (Giancarlo Esposito), whose immediate attachment and desire to help the girls, is charming and surprisingly emotional. 

We also don’t get nearly enough screen time with drag racing Kira Matthews (Betty Who). It’s worth celebrating the only love story here is the one between two women. Bailey and Mathews are granted the only romantic montage of the film — complete with dim lighting and a soft indie-backed track, plus a hot consent approved kisses to boot — but it feels more like a tease than anything else. 

There’s a lot to accomplish in Unpregnant, and an epic romance is clearly not the point here, but that adorably pure dynamic would have been a refreshing change of pace for the film, especially in place of a car chase between two teen girls and a pro-life nut job that lasts a few minutes too long. 

Strip all those crazy adventures and intriguing secondary characters away, however, and you’re still left with a wonderful story and depiction of true female friendship. 

The script and direction are heavy with female influence, evident by the believability of the dialogue between the two girls, and the disregard for any Hollywood pressure to paint their actors as picture-perfect.

Bailey and Veronica communicate like two women who know each other inside and out, but the script doesn’t rely too heavily on overly saturated emotional moments to sell their connection; the love they have for one another is shown by the sacrifices they make, not told by too many over the top heartfelt speeches.

Yes, there are a few moments that undoubtedly will pull at your heartstrings — but only when the two girls are working through their shit, and the resolutions still tend to end in comedic warmth every time.

Visually, Goldenberg doesn’t hold back on the authentication of a road trip this rough, either. Bailey and even put-together Veronica are given the freedom to look dirty, greasy, and increasingly unkempt as the film progresses; their makeup gets smeared, sweat spills down their faces, and there is always a hair tie conveniently on hand. 

Small efforts like this move mountains in connecting with a female audience; stories like this one work better when women don’t have to take themselves out of the moment to yell “her makeup would never look that flawless after three days in the desert!” at the screen. 

There’s no doubt Unpregnant is bound to be a controversial film for FOX news watching right-wing conservatives, but that’s also kind of the point.

The film is purposely meticulous in telling its story from all angles, and in one of the films final scenes, it allows Veronica’s own deeply religious mother a gracious reaction to the news of her daughter’s abortion. Veronica’s mother may never understand her choice, may never agree, but loves her daughter more than all of those things combined.

It’s one of the few moments where the film graciously allows drama and advocacy to overtake comedy, and by keeping moments like these sparse they land much more effectively. 

While there’s no disillusion here — this film isn’t about to change the tense debate on abortion as we know it — it’s also an incredible display of why at the very least, we need to try.

What did you think of Unpregnant? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Unpregnant is streaming now on HBO Max. 

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