Unexpected is a 2015 American drama film directed by Kris Swanberg, and co-written by Swanberg and Megan Mercier.[1] It stars Cobie Smulders as a teacher at an inner city Chicago high school who unintentionally becomes pregnant. One of her students, Jasmine (Gail Bean), is also unexpectedly pregnant, and the two bond through planning their futures. The film had its world premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2015.[2] The film was released in a limited release and released video on demand on July 24, 2015, by The Film Arcade.
| Unexpected | |
|---|---|
_POSTER.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Kris Swanberg |
| Written by | Megan Mercier Kris Swanberg |
| Produced by | Andrea Roa Chris Webber |
| Starring | Cobie Smulders Gail Bean Anders Holm Elizabeth McGovern |
| Cinematography | Dagmar Weaver-Madsen |
| Edited by | Zach Clark |
| Music by | Keegan DeWitt |
| Distributed by | The Film Arcade |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Premise
editAn inner-city high school teacher develops an unlikely friendship with one of her most promising students while both struggle to navigate their unexpected pregnancies.
Cast
edit- Cobie Smulders as Samantha Abbott
- Gail Bean as Jasmine
- Anders Holm as John
- Elizabeth McGovern as Mrs. Abbott, Samantha's mother
Production
editSwanberg took about two years to write the film's script. The film was shot in West Humboldt Park and East Garfield Park, Chicago, but takes place in Englewood.[3][failed verification] Cobie Smulders was pregnant during filming. The coinciding of Smulders' pregnancy with that of her character was not intentional.[2] The film was completed in October 2014.[4]
Release
editThe film had its world premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2015.[2] Shortly after it was announced, The Film Arcade had acquired distribution rights to the film.[5] The film was released on July 24, 2015, in a limited release, and through video on demand.[6]
Reception
editUnexpected was met with positive reviews. Film review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 67% score, with an average rating of 6.4/10, based on reviews from 54 critics. The website's critical consensus reads, "Unexpected proves a thoughtful and well-acted — if somewhat mild — look at worthy, thought-provoking themes.[7] On Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average rating of 65 out of 100, sampled from 20 film critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[8]
Accolades
edit
| List of awards and nominations | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Award / Film festival | Category | Recipient(s) and nominee(s) | Result | Ref(s) |
| Sundance Film Festival | Grand Jury Prize - Dramatic | Kris Swanberg | Nominated | [9] |
References
edit- ^ "Unexpected (2015)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
- ^ a b c Olsen, Mark (January 24, 2015). "Sundance 2015: Cobie Smulders pregnant on-screen and off in 'Unexpected'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ^ Towers, Andrea (December 15, 2014). "Cobie Smulders tackles motherhood in Sundance film 'Unexpected'". Entertainment Weekly. Time. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
- ^ Douglas, Edward (February 2, 2015). "Sundance: Kris Swanberg Teams with Cobie Smulders for Unexpected". ComingSoon.net. CraveOnline Media.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (February 9, 2015). "Sundance Pic 'Unexpected' Acquired By Film Arcade". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ^ Canfield, David (April 28, 2015). "Cobie Smulders Faces the 'Unexpected' in Exclusive Poster Debut". Indiewire. Penske Business Media. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
- ^ "Unexpected (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
- ^ "Unexpected Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
- ^ "Interview: Kris Swanberg". Raising Films. August 10, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
External links
edit- Unexpected at IMDb