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HBO Max’s new original film “Unpregnant” follows the unlikely rekindling of a friendship between popular, straight-A student Veronica (Haley Lu Richardson) and edgy loner Bailey (Barbie Ferreira).

But this is not a typical high school commentary on breaking cliques and finding oneself, nor is it a comedy. Veronica and Bailey reunite for a reason neither of them could have ever predicted: Veronica is pregnant, and Bailey, her ex-best friend, walked in at the exact moment that little plus sign appeared.

Veronica’s feelings on the situation are slightly unclear until we see her type “abortion” into Google. Instantly, it is clear that this is not a simple matter, as no clinics in her home state of Missouri provide abortions for minors without parental consent.

But Veronica knows her religious family would not approve, and her friends quickly reveal themselves to be untrustful. Additionally, her boyfriend reacts to the situation with a very public marriage proposal and reveals his prior knowledge of some compromised contraception.

Without anyone else to turn to, her ex-best friend is the only one who remains. Bailey and Veronica must go on road trip to New Mexico, the closest state where Veronica would be able to get an abortion on her own.

On the journey, they confront shotgun-toting pawn shop owners, toxic boys, the law, lesbian racecar drivers, anti-abortion radicals, deadbeat dads and their friendship’s past. They find themselves car-less, questioning their morals and their loyalty to one another.

The two main characters are complex and real. Veronica is an Ivy-League bound student whose life is seemingly perfect. She is put in a difficult situation with her pregnancy because of her family’s beliefs and the society she lives in. There are moments where she lets us down, but in the end, she makes the right decision for herself, is honest with her family and friends, and sees the value of Bailey’s friendship.

Bailey is confident in her appearance, unapologetic in her love for video games and funky clothes, but also in her queerness. She casually reveals to Veronica that she is gay. This is not a big moment in the movie, just a funny conversation. Her entire character does not revolve around being gay; it is just an important part of her. This is refreshing, as gay characters are almost always reduced to a stereotype or at least reduced to their sexuality and/or coming out journey.

Bailey does not have to “come to terms” with her sexuality. There would be no reason for this in the plot of the movie. Her being plus size is also not discussed, which should not be notable but unfortunately is often a sole trait for characters that look like her.

Aside from being generally quirky, funny and unpredictable, the best part of this movie is the inevitable part. We are distracted while watching the crazy adventure that unfolds and quickly forget the serious reason that Veronica is making this long trip.

The date of the appointment finally comes, and there is a special scene where a nurse at the clinic explains the procedure in the most calm, informative way. The procedure is shown, not explicitly of course, but audiences have an idea of what’s happening as it immediately follows the nurse’s clear explanation.

Having this realistic, not sensationalized portrayal of an abortion in film is extremely valuable. It is something I have seen only one other time, in the show “Sex Education.” That series however, is British, and in the United Kingdom, abortions are covered by and part of the National Health Service.

Although there is still a taboo and a debate surrounding abortion in the U.K., I would argue that this scene appearing in an American movie is much more significant as we still live in a time and place where abortion services that were not widely accessible to begin with are being restricted and threatened.

Just this week, a possible U.S. Supreme Court justice replacement was announced who could potentially play a role in overturning Roe v. Wade. This climactic but also appropriately anti-climactic scene in “Unpregnant” is important for counteracting misinformation and propaganda.

Someone living in a predominantly conservative environment may buy into inaccurate portrayals of abortions spread by the anti-abortion agenda, and this one scene could lead to a change in perspective.

The week after this film was released, I drove cross-country through several of the states that Bailey and Veronica did. In Missouri and Kansas, every few miles there were giant billboards with eye-catching red letters calling out sinners and murderers, with violent imagery and misconstrued religious sentiment.

I’m sure you can guess what these signs were condemning. They made me all the more grateful that a film like “Unpregnant” was made.

Published on September 28, 2020 at 11:36 pm