Made in a direct response to the deplorable overturning of the Roe versus Wade ruling, which has made abortions illegal in several American States, Give Me an A is an anthology with a lot to say. Told by a collection of sixteen female voices, Give Me an A addresses what it means to live as a woman in modern American society. Given the proximity of its creation to the new ruling, Give Me an A offers a vital response and voice to those directly affected – women.
Over the course of the sixteen segment piece, topics including the right to choose, motherhood, and female autonomy are discussed. Whilst the energy within Give Me an A is rightfully angry and antagonistic, this is not a sequence of banal preachings. The writers and directors instead use their ingenuity and wit to help plead their case. Several stories actually highlight what this new movement could mean for men. Bonnie Discepolo’s DTF presents a hilarious scenario between a one-night stand who both agree to a sex contract, which has unexpected consequences for the man involved. Similarly, Valerie Finkel’s Crucible Island uses the format of a dating contest to weed out the identity of an expectant father. These sections may be light in tone, but the subject stirs up valid conversations and will hopefully make some men think twice before diving in.
There are other segments that are more confronting, Danin Jacquay’s Good Girl, Loren Escandon’s The Last Store, Megan Rosati’s Plan C, and Natasha Halevi’s Abigail all hit close to home. These stories are either an accurate reflection of our present, a potentially true portrayal of our future, or a frustrating look into the past. Whether wrapped up in sitcom dressing, such as Erica Mary Wright’s Our Precious Babies, or told more bluntly as in Sarah Kopkin’s The Walk, the warcry for change is present.
In terms of Give it Me an A’s working as an anthology, it inevitably suffers from many of the same issues that plague others. With so many storytellers and styles, the chance that every audience member will be enraptured with every short is slim. The hope though is that amongst the lofty number included here, some will stick in the memory and be enjoyable. How many will depend on the individual’s taste, but there truly is not a dud here, which when you consider that there are a total of sixteen shorts, is very impressive. However, with so many stories crammed into such a short run time, some get overlooked. The frequency of their regeneration, and with the wraparound simply bringing out cheerleaders holding up title cards, gives the sensation of watching a curation of shorts rather than one cohesive collection.
Give Me An A
Summary
Vitally important, Give Me an A is a battle-cry for action. An engaging , confronting, and entertaining anthology that exemplifies the modern female experience in all its nightmarish glory.
Give Me an A was reviewed at Grimmfest 2023.
