Within a year, this film will likely no longer be a comedy. The lack of birth control/lack of abortion resources will likely be far more widespread than it already is. Look, Pro-Birth trolls; I get this stance of yours. You think this is about morality and fighting for the unborn. But, here’s the thing — And I don’t want to create a strawman here, so you tell me, where do you stand on, say … Gun rights? Or the death penalty? Or universal healthcare? Or LGBTQ rights? Or COVID Vaccinations? Or welfare aid? Admittedly, I’m no biblical scholar, but I’m quite sure which side Jesus would take on all of those, and (in most cases) it ain’t yours. I’m not the first one to point such out, nor will I be the last, but you ought to provide a decent answer before forcing a Jesus-challenged Christian belief system on the majority of the country who oppose. In other words, for people who love to claim the moral high ground, you ain’t got none. And that goes double if you voted for Trump.
Now, on to our very bittersweet film, which –thankfully- was far sweeter than bitter.
South Dakota is a lousy state to be in when you’re teen and pregnant. Just ask Sunny (Kuhoo Verma – and I do hope to see this name on steelfrogblog more often), the brainy repressed girl who turns a moment of intense frustration into one huge mistake. Trying to set her up, BFF Lupe (Victoria Moroles) says “party at Sunny’s” to the de-light of … some. At the party itself, Sunny overhears Mean Girls talk and decides to scissor herself a new wardrobe … only to discover her would-be squeeze escorting the Mean Queen home. Now, drunk, frustrated and down for a biological experience, Sunny catches Churchy McCelibacy in the bathroom and … several hours later, she needs a Plan B.
Can Sunny and Lupe successfully get the Plan B pill in South Dakota, a state so red it was responsible for not-one-but-two major super-spreader events last summer? Ha! But, hey, good luck to you both.
Plan B is kinda two films: one in which the issues of the day become plot points: access to health
care, LGBTQ rights, teen pregnancy, etc. and another in which the film is feminine Superbad: two devoted friends having odd adventures outside their comfort zones. Personally, I felt both these films were slow to develop; I didn’t really find the potential pregnancy scene all that convincing –which, of course, sets up the entire film – and the political plot points don’t hit home until you’re deep into this thing.
That said, Plan B has a wonderful second half compensating for the meh first half. I doubt this film would ever play out IRL the way it did, but I would hope that any pregnant teen could find strength in her friends and parents, whether they be Pro-Choice or Pro-Birth. This film also introduced me to a number of things I never suspected I might see in a standard 21st C teen film, like do-it-yourself thongs, the “Indian Mafia,” and a penis piercing. Also, there was a Jay Chandrasekhar sighting for good measure. Does Broken Lizard know you escaped from their collective terrarium? Anyway, a blah film blossomed into a fun film, a surprisingly uplifting film, and a film that that –if you see it- I hope you do so with your teenage kids.
A teen discovers all is not well
It’s likely her belly is going to swell
Help not in supply
Red state rules apply
If you’re un-white, go directly to Hell
Rated TV-MA, 107 Minutes
Director: Natalie Morales
Writer: Joshua Levy, Prathiksha Srinivasan
Genre: Birth control antics in Superbad form
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Modern teenage girls
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Pro-Birthers
