Samantha Abbott (Cobie Smulders) is a young teacher with her
whole future planned out. She’s recently discovered that an opening at the
Chicago Museum of Science and Industry has come open and has a solid chance of
getting the job. It couldn’t come at a more opportune time as the inner city
school she teaches in is about to be shut down and students sent to another
school. Then she discovers that she is pregnant.
While most movies these days would focus on the option of
abortion and get into a politically correct dissertation about that being the
best choice to make, this movie instead moves forward with Samantha’s decision
to have the child. She and her boyfriend John (Anders Holm) get married and
begin making plans. He decorates a room for the baby. He is as interested in
being a parent as she is.
At her job, Samantha takes a keen interest in her students.
In particular she has high hopes for one, Jasmine (Gail Bean). Jasmine has the
potential to make something of her life, to get herself out of the mean streets
of Chicago. Samantha has plans of helping her along the way, encouraging her to
try out for scholarships to various colleges since her scores are always so
high. And then Jasmine too becomes pregnant.
Rather than see her star pupil continue the cycle of
remaining in a low income life with few options to move her forward, Samantha
takes a more personal interest in her. The two go to yoga classes together and
talk about their plans for the future. Samantha tries to help Jasmine get into
a college, especially the college that she once went to. But plans and dreams
are often not the same as reality.
But the movie isn’t just about Samantha and her attempt to
help Jasmine. It’s also about these two women who come from completely
different backgrounds and how they interact with one another. While the desire
Samantha has for Jasmine is noble it may not be the reality that Jasmine knows
exist, perhaps more so than her teacher does. Samantha’s disappointments in the
life Jasmine may eventually come to expect shows that while she intends to do
good sometimes intentions are not what reality will provide.
The movie drives this home in her own life as well. Where
she once had these plans of what she wanted to accomplish it all changes with
the arrival of a child. She might want the career she dreamed of but with a
child in the picture that might not be possible. Does this child present
something wonderful to be cherished or is it just an obstacle in her desire for
more? These are the same problems that confront Jasmine but on a completely
different level.
While these ideas may sound highbrow and not entertaining
the movie makes them work and entertain as well. The camaraderie between the
two leads weaves itself so perfectly that you feel for both women and want the
best for them. You want that happy ending to watch when the film closes. But
that’s the point of the film. What you want and what you get may be two
different things. But there is also the possibility that what you wanted wasn’t
what you really desired to begin with. And in the end the possibilities are
always there if you’re willing to aim for them.
The movie may not have been one of the top box office hits
of the year but it is a film worth watching. All involved do an amazing job of
presenting their characters as real people. For me the true sign of a good
actor is if you can believe them in the part and not think you’re watching an
actor in a role. Both Smulders and Bean accomplish that here and it makes me
look forward to more from both of them.
I can say that while I didn’t expect it I found this movie
to be one of the more pleasurable experiences I’ve had lately when it comes to
a mainstream movie that didn’t fit into any genre title. It succeeds on all
levels from acting to directing to story and holds your interest start to
finish. It’s one that I can honestly say is worth watching.
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