Okay, so I'm not the target audience for this romantic comedy of one life polarising, splitting at the point when Natalie gets pregnant. One direction leads to motherhood, the other to LA and career progression. The producers evidently couldn't decide which story to tell, so decided to give us both instead, at the same time. If you've seen Sliding Doors, you're on the right track. Turn a different corner and then what would have happened, kinda thing.
There is an admirable, but expected, pro-choice message spoon-fed to us, but it never goes quite far enough in that regard. If there was a question here, it would be why she couldn't have both? Is it still really necessary, in this day and age, to be forced to pick one or the other? And was her decision, when choosing motherhood, because she was swayed by the father of this surprise package promising to support her?
Having never laid eyes on Lili Reinhart before (just what is Riverdale?), I have to admit that she is well cast as the pretty blonde, just graduated and forced into what will be a life-changing decision, not only for her, but for everyone around her. She is sweet and funny and the script goes some way to enable her to extol her virtues.
"I'm about push a baby out of my vag, and I'm going to do it after eating a buffalo chicken sandwich, Let's go!"
The whole thing is so annoyingly sugary and cuddly, you can't help but smile at it. Even labour was bearable. Lasted about ten seconds and then out popped baby. No perineum tearing or shitting everywhere for this girl. Hell no. We're on message, remember. Good old Netflix, for keeping their fairy stories consistent.
Admittedly, this is eminently watchable throughout, in a 'rainy Sunday afternoon' sense. It doesn't tax or provoke to any degree, the performances are all good, though never outstanding, but the script never really calls for it, so that's not through a lack of ability. I had more fun with this than I expected.