Thursday, July 23, 2015

Unexpected (SIFF 2015) - Movie Review



Unexpected, an official selection of the 2015 Seattle International Film festival, was written and directed by Kris Swanberg with a co-writing credit going to Megan Mercier. The film stars Cobie Smulders, Anders Holm, Gail Bean, and Elizabeth McGovern.


The Story:
Samantha (Smulders) is an inner city high school teacher who's life turns upside down when she discovers she unexpectedly has a baby on the way. Coincidentally, one of her star students finds out she is pregnant as well and the two women quickly bond over their similar situation although Samantha quickly discovers how juggling relationships with her boyfriend, family, and a new friend, all while coping with the prospect of a child on the way, may be more than she wants or is able to handle.


The Review:
First and foremost, this is a movie about relationships and Kris Swanberg expertly navigates her lead character through the highs and lows of maintaining them while dealing with some serious personal issues. What I like the most about the movie is that the people in it are very real with real reactions and real things to say which really helps you to relate with them as a viewer. Smulders, Anders Holm, and Gail Bean all turn in outstanding performances and you can really tell how their director allowed and probably even emphasized a lot of organic and natural interaction between them.


The Verdict:
Unexpected is a sweet tale about some really nice people who are going through an interesting time in their lives. I imagine this movie will hit home with anyone who has gone through something similar and, while there aren't any major life lessons being taught, it is still a very worthwhile movie to see.

CLICK HERE for more of my reviews from the 2015 Seattle International Film Festival.





 


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