Laughter from Pain

Obvious Child finds the funny in an unlikely topic

Movies are so homogenized in the 21st century that it counts as a shock when a film takes a true risk. That is certainly the case with Obvious Child, a comedy that dares to broach a hot-button issue — and is all the more funny because of it.

The film follows Donna (Jenny Slate), a stand-up comedian who, in short order, gets broken up with and loses her day job at a soon-to-close bookstore. Rocked by the double dose of bad news, she turns to drinking, has a one-night stand with Max (Jake Lacy) and soon thereafter discovers she is pregnant.

Those who see the words “comedy about abortion” and shun it right away will be missing a heartfelt and truly funny movie.

So where’s the controversy? Well, Donna quickly and unflinchingly decides she wants to have an abortion, a choice that not only causes her no existential guilt, but is also one that writer/director Gillian Robespierre somehow mines for laughs.

To be fair, the film’s comedy isn’t about abortion itself, but it also never backs away from the topic.

The decision and the relative ease with which it is treated stand in stark contrast to how the subject is normally handled. It helps matters that the character who makes the choice is a comedian, giving the audience tacit permission to laugh at pretty much anything she does.

Also aiding in the laughs is Donna’s growing bond with Max, a guy who turns out to be a bit better than your normal one-night stand. By exploring whether or not Donna and Max want to give a relationship a shot with the impending abortion hanging over their heads, Robespierre has given the tired “will they or won’t they?” plot a welcome and inspired twist.

Slate, who also starred in the short film on which the feature is based, impresses greatly as Donna. She’s hilarious, vulnerable and charming, but more important, she sells the conceit of the movie without a hint of preachiness.

Also great is Lacy, who manages to come across as both humble and supremely confident at the same time. Previously best known for his role during the final season of The Office, this part has the potential to catapult him into movie stardom.

Special mention should also be made of Gaby Hoffman and Gabe Liedman as Donna’s two best friends, and Richard Kind and Polly Draper as her parents. Each brings real humor and honesty to his or her respective roles, which keeps the rest of the film flowing as it should.

There will be those who see the words “comedy about abortion” and shun it right away, but they’ll be missing a genuine, heartfelt and truly funny movie. Obvious Child is an apolitical film that cares only about people and laughs. Isn’t that refreshing?

Jake Lacy and Jenny Slate face an issue in Obvious Child that doesn't usually come up in rom-coms.

Jake Lacy and Jenny Slate in Obvious Child

Photo by Chris Teague

Jake Lacy and Jenny Slate face an issue in Obvious Child that doesn't usually come up in rom-coms.

RIP Mark

Colorful Dallas musician and DJ Mark Ridlen passes away at 65

Mark Ridlen

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Mark Ridlen RIP

A bright and colorful light in Dallas' music scene went out: Mark Ridlen, DJ and musician, passed away on November 17, following a bout with cancer; he was 65.

From his appearance in Ron Howard’s 1978 directorial debut, Cotton Candy, to his groups Quad Pi, Lithium X-mas, and a plethora of side projects with scores of DFW musicians, to his full-time job as a professional DJ under the moniker "DJ Mr. Rid," Ridlen had been a steady staple on the local creative scene.

He surfed pretty much every musical wave: from Dallas' epochal dance music scene in the early 80s, to punk rock to his role as one of Dallas' top DJs — the guy you called when you wanted your event to be cool and fun.

Ridlen had been quietly battling kidney and lung cancer for the past three years. Over the summer, he had his second kidney removed, which meant he was on dialysis treatment a couple times a week.

He remained upbeat, but according to friends of the family, two more tumors were recently found in his brain. His family and friends decided to forego further treatment and were by his side when he died.

He remained in demand until his passing. In May, he DJed a party at the Kessler Theater, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Starck Club, the legendary '80s dance music club designed by Philippe Starck, which had a huge influence on Dallas, and which Ridlen was part of.

He was invited to DJ at the Starck Club when it opened in 1984 and remained in that role until the club closed in 1989.

Reid mark ridlen Mark Ridlen (right) with close friend Reid RobiinsonFacebook

From there, he migrated to Expo Park, the underground neighborhood across from Fair Park where art and music ruled. His stints at XPO Lounge, Double Wide, and other neighborhood venues made him a staple in the community.

At the same time, he was a member of Lithium Xmas, a psychedelic art-rock band which he formed with acclaimed musicians Chris Merlick and Greg Synodis.

He was also a pop culture savant with a comprehensive knowledge of music, who balanced a low-key charm with a vibrant sense of style, whether it was a vivid pop-art tunic or a flashy sequinned jacket, he did it all with originality and panache.

In late August, a large circle of musicians and friends rallied to participate in a benefit for Ridlen, to help pay for his medical costs — a sweet indication of the high regard in which he was held.

“I do want people to know that I am not being slowed down by cancer,” Ridlen said at the time. “I'm ready to continue working. I have more-or-less a clean bill of health for the moment, and hopefully that doesn't change.”

Survivors include his mother Nancy and his brother David. A memorial service is in the works with details still to be announced.

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