Brittany Snow’s Political Short Film Is Essential Viewing for the Election

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As a woman who has spent far too many years navigating a world where I often feel like an outsider, this film truly resonated with me. The story of Rachel and her daughter Maddy is heart-wrenching, yet it’s a tale that so many women experience in silence.

The short film “Red, White, and Blue,” which received an Oscar nomination, offers a heart-wrenching, intimate portrayal of the devastating repercussions women experience due to statewide abortion bans following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Spanning just 23 minutes, this movie narrates the heartbreaking tale of Rachel (played by Brittany Snow), a hardworking single mother on the edge of poverty, caring for two children. She embarks on a challenging journey across state lines to secure an abortion, confronting financial hurdles, congested clinics, and a relentless clock. As the deadline approaches, Rachel bravely navigates through a perilous path to terminate an unplanned pregnancy before it’s too late.

the only vote that matters is one for women.

What Is Red, White, and Blue About?

The main character in Red, White, and Blue, named Rachel, is a single parent to a young daughter Maddy (Juliet Donenfeld) and son Jake (Redding Munsell). Struggling financially with a low-paying job at a diner in Arkansas, her life becomes even more challenging when she finds out she’s pregnant. Facing an unstable living situation due to this unexpected news, Rachel starts looking for the nearest abortion clinics and calculating the costs associated with the procedure and travel.

Due to Arkansas’ newly implemented abortion ban without exceptions, Rachel has to drive nearly 16 hours round-trip to Illinois for the necessary care. After pooling all her emergency savings (even using money from her children’s piggy bank), Rachel is still unable to afford the trip on her own and must find a solution to her challenging situation before the pregnancy advances too far.

The Empathetic Storytelling of Red, White, and Blue

The very first scene of Red, White, and Blue swiftly places viewers in Rachel’s perspective. The movie starts with a close-up view of a pregnancy test result, which we later discover is being held by an exhausted and overwhelmed Brittany Snow, dressed as a waitress. In this initial sequence, Choudhury skillfully introduces the character and her dilemma to the audience: a financially strapped working-class woman has just learned she’s pregnant and must contemplate her next steps.

As the movie progresses, we gain a deeper understanding of Rachel’s economic status by following her on an average day. She appears to be a single mother without any family support, struggling to care for her two children. They reside in a small one-bedroom house where the kids share a room while Rachel sleeps on a pull-out couch in the main area. When Maddy suggests going to a pancake breakfast, Rachel explains that they can only manage meals from the diner’s kitchen (she receives them for free). The film portrays Rachel’s challenging financial circumstances and her decision to consider an abortion as a desperate attempt to improve their living situation.

The narrative doesn’t end there. As Rachel delves into the practicalities of obtaining an abortion in a state where it’s strictly prohibited, without any exceptions for rape or incest, the burden of resources (money, time, and determination) to seek the procedure elsewhere becomes strikingly apparent. Besides empathizing with her challenging situation and choice, viewers also get a glimpse beyond the deceptive arguments that label abortions as immoral, last-resort forms of birth control. Instead, they’re presented with the true costs (financial, emotional, and physical) and the complexities surrounding the decision. Rachel isn’t portrayed as irresponsible or negligent; she’s simply trying to do what’s best for herself and her loved ones.

Emphasizing the Need for Female Solidarity

In the break room at work, when Rachel finds out she’s pregnant from a positive test, she catches a nearby customer staring at it on her way to the restroom. She swiftly hides the test and the customer departs without uttering a word. At first, this incident highlights Rachel’s sense of isolation during her pregnancy — being a single mother with no one to rely upon or confide in. Later, while she returns to the sales floor to refill coffee for customers, a man inappropriately touches her as he passes by. Despite a colleague witnessing this unwanted advance, he shows no concern and continues with his tasks. Rachel not only feels isolated during her pregnancy, dealing with family duties, financial difficulties, but ultimately, she realizes she’s navigating a world dominated by men.

In a remarkable turn of events, resourceful Rachel endeavors to solve all her problems independently and aims to earn an additional $50 weekly in tips during the next month to cover the cost of an upcoming procedure. Unfortunately, as time passes, her deadline for this decision looms closer, leaving her with less time before she is compelled to carry the pregnancy to term.

From the perspective of an observer, the reason behind the customer’s kindness remains unexplored. Was she moved by a past connection or simply compassionate? Regardless of her motivation, her generous act serves to emphasize the importance of women standing together in support of each other’s reproductive rights, a cause that is increasingly critical in the United States, where reproductive rights are under threat and lives are being lost as a consequence.

A Tragic Twist Ending

Despite managing to arrange childcare for Jake, they couldn’t find it for Maddy. The mother-daughter duo embarked on a road trip together, heading towards an abortion clinic in Illinois. To make the journey more enjoyable for Maddy, Rachel played their favorite tunes and stopped at a small carnival for a brief carousel ride and cotton candy treat. As the hours passed, they finally reached their destination. Rachel left Maddy to rest in the waiting room while she approached the reception desk. Faced with an overwhelmed receptionist, no appointment, and the pressing need to return home to Jake, there was growing worry among the viewers that Rachel might not even be able to get an abortion. The waiting list, jam-packed with patients from Arkansas, was extensive.

In an unfortunate turn of events, Rachel reluctantly includes her name on the list. Yet, when asked for her date of birth, she mentions the year 2013. This revelation leaves the receptionist (and audience) stunned, as it becomes clear: the abortion Rachel is seeking is for her 13-year-old daughter Maddy. Memories of the horrific night Maddy was assaulted resurface on screen, cruelly highlighting a harsh truth often overlooked by pro-life policies – abortion protections safeguard both women and children.

The scenarios illustrate to viewers that reproductive choices shouldn’t be strictly dictated by state laws; rather, they should belong solely to the individual and their healthcare provider. This freedom should extend to all individuals, irrespective of geographical location, financial status, or personal traumatic experiences such as sexual assault. The choice to continue a pregnancy or not should always remain with the person involved.

The movie concludes as Rachel puts Maddy to bed following the abortion, blowing out birthday candle wishes. Despite the challenges she’ll face from her ordeal, her mother and other women in her life help maintain a sense of childhood for Maddy. This allows her to dream about a future filled with her own aspirations rather than being compelled to motherhood prematurely. While motherhood can be a wonderful journey for many, it should be a voluntary choice rather than an unwanted destiny.

Red, White, and Blue is free to watch on YouTube for a limited time.

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2024-11-06 01:01