Unpregnant: Abortion Road-Trip Comedy

Rachel Lee Goldenberg's Unpregnant finds 17-year-old Veronica driving 1,000 miles from Missouri to New Mexico with her old best friend Bailey to visit a clinic that provides abortions to underage teens without parental permission.


Haley Lu Richardson and Barbie Ferreira fuel Unpregnant with their chemistry and charisma. Type A Veronica is headed to Brown in the Fall but is living out the last days of her senior year. She is popular with a tight group of friends and a boyfriend. Under the surface, she is meaningless and offers no insight into her life. Bailey is more free-spirited and is an outcast.


Despite their fractured relationship the actresses have an instant spark with each other and make the film a joy to watch. They will eventually find their way back to each other over the course of the friendship-centric film. Veronica isn't too open to letting Bailey back in.


The film approaches the legal complications Veronica faces as a logistical obstacle. The controversial idea of abortion is hidden inside this heavy character populated film that focuses on relationships. By getting to know the characters, abortion feels personal as audiences navigate Veronica's journey with her.


Veronica and Bailey navigate through a predictable pace as they encounter new friends, horrible surprises, and gags. Among the main plot, there are some crazier subplots that are insane but believable with the religious themes sprinkled through the film.


The teen-led comedy feels accomplished compared to many Netflix attempts that never get it right. It feels directed and real with a sense of location and style. It is a film for younger audiences that feel underserved by lazy attempts of other films that inaccurately portray teens.


While handling a tricky subject, there is a refreshing lack of conservatism that many films before it take on. Veronica never questions whether or not she wants to terminate it and whether or not it is a moral choice, Films often show female characters change their minds at the last minute as if that is the best option. In this film, there is no shame or punishment, there is just annoyance with the flawed system.


The only downsides of the film are that at times Ferreira feels like a caricature than a living person, As the journey picks up they face a lot of weird situations that feel like the writers are trying too hard. It distracts from the main plot and almost feels like the writers didn't think audiences would want to spend a lot of time with the two main characters. The scenes that work best are the ones that are grounded and focus on friendship.


Unpregnant is an uneven ride but it is worthwhile and a reminder of how antiquated women's healthcare is.