It was in August of 2016 at the Students for Life of Illinois (now weDignify) Leadership Retreat in Champaign, IL that I first was given a copy of Abby Johnson's memoir Unplanned. I had heard of the book beforehand and the real-life story behind it fascinated me, but it wasn't until that month that I actually sat down and read the whole thing cover-to-cover. And when I did, I was incredibly moved and inspired by it, and I even said to myself after I was done reading it, "I could totally see this as a movie." Now, full disclosure: I was raised by two pro-choice parents and, for the first sixteen years of my life (or at least from the time I was eleven, which is when I first heard the word "abortion"), I just kind of blindly accepted their view as gospel. But then around the time I was sixteen, I began to make friends with people who were pro-life and hearing their views on abortion inspired me to research what abortion actually is; and when I saw what it is, and when I heard testimonies from post-abortive women who spoke at length about the physical and emotional damage abortion inflicted on them...there was really no turning back for me. So just on that level alone, I was very intrigued to see Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon's film adaptation of Johnson's memoir.
But then just over a month ago, I was given the opportunity to go to a free advance screening of the film at the beautiful Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge, IL. And it was there, literally a minute before the film was about to begin, that I heard it was going to be R-rated. When I heard this, I almost immediately felt of two minds about this. On one hand, I know a lot of Christians who draw a hard line about not going to see R-rated movies, and it would be silly not to acknowledge the sick irony that, in some places in the U.S. (i.e., New York, Oregon, Washington, Maine, etc.), a 13-year-old girl can get an abortion without parental consent but isn't allowed to see this movie without an adult. But on the other hand, I really appreciate the fact that, for once, a movie is being made about abortion that isn't whitewashed, phony, or sugarcoated, and that actually portrays it for what it is. Back in October, I reviewed a film called Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer, and as much as I liked that movie as a police procedural and courtroom drama, it played it pretty safe by hiding the gruesome natural of Kermit Gosnell's crimes. Unplanned is much more raw and realistic than that movie was, and that is where much of its power lies.
Much like the memoir it is based on, the film opens in medias res around September 2009, with Abby Johnson being asked by a fellow Planned Parenthood clinic worker to assist in the ultrasound-guided abortion of a 13-week-old unborn child. While staring at the ultrasound monitor as the abortion is being performed, Abby notices something horrific: the baby seeming to struggle and move away from the vacuum tube. Then, the powerful vacuum is turned on, ripping the baby apart as it is sucked up the tube. Upon seeing this, Abby immediately leaves the room and goes into the bathroom, where she begins sobbing, as her eight years of working for Planned Parenthood and assisting women in obtaining abortions begin crashing down on her and she realizes that she can no longer do this.
We then flashback to eight years earlier to 2001, when Abby is a student at Texas A&M University and she visits the Planned Parenthood table at a college volunteer fair. The people working at the table tell her that Planned Parenthood seeks to help women obtain health care and reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies through birth control. Being attracted to this mission, she agrees to visit one day and begins to volunteer as a clinic escort, walking women from their car to the door and trying to help block out the voices of the protestors outside, who were mostly loud and angry and confrontational toward the women walking into the clinic.
As time progresses, Abby rises in the ranks at Planned Parenthood, becoming their "community services director" and eventually the director of the Bryan, Texas clinic that she first volunteered at. The film guides the audience through her eight years at the clinic, including her counseling sessions with women coming in with unplanned pregnancies, her encounters with a local group called the "Coalition for Life" that would peacefully pray outside the clinic, and her ever-burgeoning romance with a college friend named Doug, who disapproves of her job but yet supports her, loves her, and eventually marries and starts a family with her. This film also depicts Abby's previous relationship with a selfish, abusive man named Mark, which resulted in two unplanned pregnancies that both ended in an abortion, the second one an RU-486 abortion that's depicted via a disturbing, bloody flashback that's among the most raw, powerful sequences I've ever seen in a "Christian" film (it's right up there with the scourging scene in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ).
All of this builds up to the moment in which Abby witnesses the abortion that opens her eyes to what it actually is. And once this happens, the film definitely shifts gears into being a full-on Christian film about redemption and standing up for what you believe in, all of which are things that personally speak to me and that will definitely speak to this film's core audience. This is a deeply affecting film that rises above the cliches and limitations of the faith-based genre to deliver something raw, mature, powerful, and surprisingly well-written and acted.
Writers/directors Konzelman and Solomon (whose past credits include the first two God's Not Dead films and another PureFlix Christian drama called Do You Believe?) have definitely taken off the training wheels and kid gloves for this film, something that I've been waiting for filmmakers in this genre to do for a while now. Rather than presenting a watered-down Sunday school message filled with on-the-nose dialogue and high-school-drama-club-level acting, what they present here is, essentially, the deeply personal conversion story of Abby Johnson. Much like last year's I Can Only Imagine, Unplanned filters its message through someone's personal story, showing how the themes of faith, suffering, forgiveness, and redemption play out in real life rather than in the imaginations of Christian screenwriters. And they are played out in such a way that moved myself (and many in the audience I saw it with) to tears.
For starters, I loved the scenes with Abby and her boyfriend/husband Doug. With most of these scenes being taken right from Johnson's memoir, they are among the most authentically written scenes I've seen in a "Christian" film. The unconditional love that Doug shows Abby even though he disagrees strongly with her job is incredibly inspiring and it goes to show how simple grace and empathy can transcend politics and ideology when it comes to the people you love. And even Abby's relationships with Shawn Carney and his wife Marilisa portray a level of empathy even when they're adversaries so that when Abby goes into their office sobbing out of guilt and shame, it doesn't feel cheap or forced or a sell-out or anything like that; rather, it is real, deeply emotional and incredibly powerful, because up until that point, Shawn and Marilisa had shown nothing but grace and kindness toward Abby, so that she didn't feel scared to go to them once she realized she wanted out.
Another area in which this film transcends many of the other films of this genre: the performances, particularly that of Ashley Bratcher, who plays Abby in the film. I had never even heard of her until this movie, but she is really outstanding here. Rather than play up the melodrama that many actors do in films like this, she gives a very nuanced performance, convincingly portraying Abby at all points in her journey and allowing the audience to buy her eventual breakdown and conversion that the entire movie is building towards. And the supporting performances are also surprisingly convincing, most notably Robia Scott (Jenny Calendar from Buffy the Vampire Slayer), who plays Abby's boss during her days at Planned Parenthood. Her cold nature never feels too forced or over-the-top even if some of her dialogue can be a little on-the-nose at times (specifically in one scene after Abby leaves Planned Parenthood and becomes pro-life), and she ends up providing a deeply chilling foil for Abby.
Even on a pure production level, this is head-and-shoulders above many other movies of its type. The cinematography is well-done and adds tension to many crucial scenes. The editing is consistent throughout and always works in favor of the story. The production design is impressive with a great attention to detail that reflects Abby's memoir (and its all the more impressive considering how the filmmakers legally weren't allowed to show Planned Parenthood's logo at any point). But ultimately, the number one reason this film resonated with me so much is because of how it never shied away from the grim reality of abortion. Right out of the gate, Konzelman and Solomon allow you to witness the moment where it hit home for Abby and it is really powerful. Given how many movies nowadays (i.e., Obvious Child, Grandma, the upcoming Saint Frances, etc.) are attempting to portray abortion as "normal" and/or "empowering" in an attempt to promote it (all the while hiding the actual reality of what it is), it is of the upmost importance to educate people on the reality of abortion so that it's no longer minimized, and so that those who oppose it (like myself) know what it is they oppose, and also so that those who support it know exactly what it is they support.
Of course, once reviews for this film started coming out there were numerous people who immediately dismissed as "anti-choice propaganda" and even people who tried to discredit Abby's story and paint her as a liar, all of which is to be expected from people who can't stand to hear a single negative thing about Planned Parenthood or any abortion-related story that flies in the face of their narrative. But as film critic Matt Zoller Seitz from RogerEbert.com said a while back, American cinema “is supposed to be a populist art form representing the body politic as it is, not merely as the industry wishes it could be.” While yes, this is from the same production company that made God's Not Dead and it's not quite up to the level of films like Eighth Grade and Roma quality-wise (some parts of Unplanned were too visually glossy for my taste and I could have done without the abundance of voiceover), this is still a very impressive and important film that provides a perspective far-too-rarely seen on film. Regardless of whether you agree with Abby Johnson or not, her story is one that needs to be told and her perspective is one that is unique among those who oppose abortion.
And while I'm not going to descend into wishful thinking and hope that the most ardent pro-choicers reconsider their stances because of this film, I do hope for this, above all else: that people, regardless of their stance on abortion or their political affiliation, give this movie a fair shot. Don't write it off, sight unseen, because of what you assume it to be. Leave your expectations at the door and just sit and listen to Abby's perspective and story. Because who knows, you might even walk out enlightened and with a broader perspective if you do. And for that reason alone, I strongly recommend this film.
But then just over a month ago, I was given the opportunity to go to a free advance screening of the film at the beautiful Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge, IL. And it was there, literally a minute before the film was about to begin, that I heard it was going to be R-rated. When I heard this, I almost immediately felt of two minds about this. On one hand, I know a lot of Christians who draw a hard line about not going to see R-rated movies, and it would be silly not to acknowledge the sick irony that, in some places in the U.S. (i.e., New York, Oregon, Washington, Maine, etc.), a 13-year-old girl can get an abortion without parental consent but isn't allowed to see this movie without an adult. But on the other hand, I really appreciate the fact that, for once, a movie is being made about abortion that isn't whitewashed, phony, or sugarcoated, and that actually portrays it for what it is. Back in October, I reviewed a film called Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer, and as much as I liked that movie as a police procedural and courtroom drama, it played it pretty safe by hiding the gruesome natural of Kermit Gosnell's crimes. Unplanned is much more raw and realistic than that movie was, and that is where much of its power lies.
We then flashback to eight years earlier to 2001, when Abby is a student at Texas A&M University and she visits the Planned Parenthood table at a college volunteer fair. The people working at the table tell her that Planned Parenthood seeks to help women obtain health care and reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies through birth control. Being attracted to this mission, she agrees to visit one day and begins to volunteer as a clinic escort, walking women from their car to the door and trying to help block out the voices of the protestors outside, who were mostly loud and angry and confrontational toward the women walking into the clinic.
As time progresses, Abby rises in the ranks at Planned Parenthood, becoming their "community services director" and eventually the director of the Bryan, Texas clinic that she first volunteered at. The film guides the audience through her eight years at the clinic, including her counseling sessions with women coming in with unplanned pregnancies, her encounters with a local group called the "Coalition for Life" that would peacefully pray outside the clinic, and her ever-burgeoning romance with a college friend named Doug, who disapproves of her job but yet supports her, loves her, and eventually marries and starts a family with her. This film also depicts Abby's previous relationship with a selfish, abusive man named Mark, which resulted in two unplanned pregnancies that both ended in an abortion, the second one an RU-486 abortion that's depicted via a disturbing, bloody flashback that's among the most raw, powerful sequences I've ever seen in a "Christian" film (it's right up there with the scourging scene in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ).
All of this builds up to the moment in which Abby witnesses the abortion that opens her eyes to what it actually is. And once this happens, the film definitely shifts gears into being a full-on Christian film about redemption and standing up for what you believe in, all of which are things that personally speak to me and that will definitely speak to this film's core audience. This is a deeply affecting film that rises above the cliches and limitations of the faith-based genre to deliver something raw, mature, powerful, and surprisingly well-written and acted.
Writers/directors Konzelman and Solomon (whose past credits include the first two God's Not Dead films and another PureFlix Christian drama called Do You Believe?) have definitely taken off the training wheels and kid gloves for this film, something that I've been waiting for filmmakers in this genre to do for a while now. Rather than presenting a watered-down Sunday school message filled with on-the-nose dialogue and high-school-drama-club-level acting, what they present here is, essentially, the deeply personal conversion story of Abby Johnson. Much like last year's I Can Only Imagine, Unplanned filters its message through someone's personal story, showing how the themes of faith, suffering, forgiveness, and redemption play out in real life rather than in the imaginations of Christian screenwriters. And they are played out in such a way that moved myself (and many in the audience I saw it with) to tears.
For starters, I loved the scenes with Abby and her boyfriend/husband Doug. With most of these scenes being taken right from Johnson's memoir, they are among the most authentically written scenes I've seen in a "Christian" film. The unconditional love that Doug shows Abby even though he disagrees strongly with her job is incredibly inspiring and it goes to show how simple grace and empathy can transcend politics and ideology when it comes to the people you love. And even Abby's relationships with Shawn Carney and his wife Marilisa portray a level of empathy even when they're adversaries so that when Abby goes into their office sobbing out of guilt and shame, it doesn't feel cheap or forced or a sell-out or anything like that; rather, it is real, deeply emotional and incredibly powerful, because up until that point, Shawn and Marilisa had shown nothing but grace and kindness toward Abby, so that she didn't feel scared to go to them once she realized she wanted out.
Another area in which this film transcends many of the other films of this genre: the performances, particularly that of Ashley Bratcher, who plays Abby in the film. I had never even heard of her until this movie, but she is really outstanding here. Rather than play up the melodrama that many actors do in films like this, she gives a very nuanced performance, convincingly portraying Abby at all points in her journey and allowing the audience to buy her eventual breakdown and conversion that the entire movie is building towards. And the supporting performances are also surprisingly convincing, most notably Robia Scott (Jenny Calendar from Buffy the Vampire Slayer), who plays Abby's boss during her days at Planned Parenthood. Her cold nature never feels too forced or over-the-top even if some of her dialogue can be a little on-the-nose at times (specifically in one scene after Abby leaves Planned Parenthood and becomes pro-life), and she ends up providing a deeply chilling foil for Abby.
Even on a pure production level, this is head-and-shoulders above many other movies of its type. The cinematography is well-done and adds tension to many crucial scenes. The editing is consistent throughout and always works in favor of the story. The production design is impressive with a great attention to detail that reflects Abby's memoir (and its all the more impressive considering how the filmmakers legally weren't allowed to show Planned Parenthood's logo at any point). But ultimately, the number one reason this film resonated with me so much is because of how it never shied away from the grim reality of abortion. Right out of the gate, Konzelman and Solomon allow you to witness the moment where it hit home for Abby and it is really powerful. Given how many movies nowadays (i.e., Obvious Child, Grandma, the upcoming Saint Frances, etc.) are attempting to portray abortion as "normal" and/or "empowering" in an attempt to promote it (all the while hiding the actual reality of what it is), it is of the upmost importance to educate people on the reality of abortion so that it's no longer minimized, and so that those who oppose it (like myself) know what it is they oppose, and also so that those who support it know exactly what it is they support.
Of course, once reviews for this film started coming out there were numerous people who immediately dismissed as "anti-choice propaganda" and even people who tried to discredit Abby's story and paint her as a liar, all of which is to be expected from people who can't stand to hear a single negative thing about Planned Parenthood or any abortion-related story that flies in the face of their narrative. But as film critic Matt Zoller Seitz from RogerEbert.com said a while back, American cinema “is supposed to be a populist art form representing the body politic as it is, not merely as the industry wishes it could be.” While yes, this is from the same production company that made God's Not Dead and it's not quite up to the level of films like Eighth Grade and Roma quality-wise (some parts of Unplanned were too visually glossy for my taste and I could have done without the abundance of voiceover), this is still a very impressive and important film that provides a perspective far-too-rarely seen on film. Regardless of whether you agree with Abby Johnson or not, her story is one that needs to be told and her perspective is one that is unique among those who oppose abortion.
And while I'm not going to descend into wishful thinking and hope that the most ardent pro-choicers reconsider their stances because of this film, I do hope for this, above all else: that people, regardless of their stance on abortion or their political affiliation, give this movie a fair shot. Don't write it off, sight unseen, because of what you assume it to be. Leave your expectations at the door and just sit and listen to Abby's perspective and story. Because who knows, you might even walk out enlightened and with a broader perspective if you do. And for that reason alone, I strongly recommend this film.
