Obvious Child (2014), directed by Gillian Robespierre

Aspiring stand-up comedian Donna mines her own life for her material, with an honesty that is confronting and sometimes alienating to the people in it. Dumped by her boyfriend for a supposed friend, her day job at a bookstore threatened by closure, there is lots of material to draw on. She is a smart woman with many options who chooses a creative life because she has to. Supportive, if challenging family and friends help her through. Jenny Slate is annoying, appealing and compelling in the lead role. This is an unflinching look at a woman’s choice of an abortion – brave and unusual in a Hollywood film. Why don’t smart writer/directors like Robespierre get more work? Probably because they are female. Hopefully times are a changing.