Fifteen and Pregnant (1998) (TV)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Sam Pillsbury

Writer (WGA):

Susan Cuscuna (written by)

Release Date:

19 January 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A child's secret. A mother's love. A family's rebirth.

Plot:

Based on a true story, 15 year old Tina Spangler discovers she is pregnant. Her choices are abortion...

Plot Keywords:

Pregnancy | Father Son Relationship | Brother Sister Relationship | Premarital Sex | Mother Son Relationship

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Park Overall	...	Evie Spangler
Kirsten Dunst	...	Tina Spangler
David Andrews	...	Cal Spangler
Margot Demeter	...	Laurie Walsh
Karen Trumbo	...	Jane Walsh
Julia Whelan	...	Rachel Spangler
Zachary Ray Sherman	...	Adam Spangler (as Zach Sherman)
Daniel Kountz	...	Ray Hood
Marlyn Mason	...	Grandma Spangler
Katee Sackhoff	...	Karen Gotarus
Tyler Gannon	...	Melody
Sherilyn Lawson	...	Dr. Ross
Joe Ivy	...	Dr. Warsaw
Rebecca Nachison	...	Mrs. Knapp
Jan Brehm	...	Mrs. Crawley

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Portland, Oregon, USA

Company:

Diana Kerew Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: Ray has a cigarette tucked behind his right ear while talking to Tina about going back to football. In the very next shot the cigarette has disappeared. In the next shot it is there again.

Quotes:

Evie: He's sixteen, what he's gonna do, take her away on his skateboard?

A bit too lax on the difficulties of being a teen mother

'Fifteen and Pregnant' is a made-for-TV film clearly aimed at warning teenage girls (and boys) that unprotected sex is a big no-no but while it is an enjoyable film in itself about how families must pull together, it just isn't hard-hitting enough to get the message across.

Kirsten Dunst is in the role of fifteen-year-old Tina, who ends up pregnant after losing her virginity to her lay-about boyfriend. Of course, despite his promises, he quickly takes off as Tina's bump begins to grow leaving her to cope with the dual difficulties of teen pregnancy and single motherhood. Meanwhile, Tina's family are left reeling with the news that their teenage daughter is about to make them grandparents.

The film did raise the interesting point of how younger children feel when their teenage siblings fall pregnant as well as depict the shock, shame and worry parents are left languishing in at such news. However, it would have been far more effective as a teaching tool had Tina had a harder time of things (she was lucky that she had a supportive family, something not all teen mothers will have) and had we been able to see her cope with the sleepless nights and endless crying when the baby finally arrived.

That said, it would probably was quite effective in some way in showing teens of the Ninties that a baby at fifteen is not like caring for a doll. However, to be quite honest, to have an impact in today's schools, Tina is a bit old for a teenage mother. I imagine in a couple of years time, this film will be re-made with a pre-teen moppet cast in the role of Tina and be re-named 'Twelve and Pregnant'.