Unexpected 2015

Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times: Smulders gives one of the most natural performances of her career, and Bean's subtle, strong work announces her as a young actress to watch. Read more

Wesley Morris, Grantland: The movie's radiance comes from [Gail Bean]. Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: An admirable achievement by all concerned. Read more

Geoff Berkshire, Variety: Cobie Smulders and Gail Bean are sublime as expectant mothers in Kris Swanberg's breakout work. Read more

Mike D'Angelo, AV Club: Not that these things don't matter, but they don't exactly make for riveting cinema. Read more

Barbara VanDenburgh, Arizona Republic: It's the same warmth and kindness that makes us care about these two characters that smothers the film's fire before it can ever get roaring. Read more

Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader: This is modest and gentle but seldom sentimental; Swanberg and conscreenwriter Megan Mercier depict the challenges these characters face but take care not to let those challenges define them. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: It's a little diagrammatic in its plotting. But there's an easy fluency in the way Swanberg empathizes with everybody on screen. Read more

Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly: [A] lovely, minor-key indie. Read more

David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter: Swanberg moves into more conventional though quite satisfying territory with a personal exploration of the anticipation and anxieties encountered on the road to maternity. Read more

Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times: If their story feels more like a dramatized argument than an involving drama, that's no fault of the lovely, unforced performances by Cobie Smulders and newcomer Gail Bean. Read more

Jordan Hoffman, New York Daily News: For a movie about surprises ... there really aren't many. Read more

Stephen Holden, New York Times: "Unexpected" offers the satisfactions of a very good made-for-television movie. For all the unexpectedness endured by the characters, it studiously plays it safe. Read more

Tirdad Derakhshani, Philadelphia Inquirer: The chemistry between Smulders and Bean is simply terrific. Their performances almost save the film from its earnest, if bumbling, attempts to make a statement about the social, economic, and racial differences that divide the two characters. Read more

Christy Lemire, RogerEbert.com: Except for a bit of contrived conflict that arises toward the end, the connection between these two expectant mothers-who are at vastly different points in their lives-rings with a mutual kindness and compassion. Read more

Scott Marks, San Diego Reader: With a 90-minute running time, Unexpected would fit comfortably, with room for commercial breaks, in a two-hour network time slot. How did it ever find a theatrical release? Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: Smulders and Bean, with gentle and honest performances, sell it beautifully, and the tone is both warmhearted and realistic. Read more

G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle: Swanberg has crafted a universal story observed through small details. Read more

Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: Unexpected features fine performances from both women and I'd love to see more from newcomer Bean, showing grace and maturity onscreen. Read more

Inkoo Kang, TheWrap: A well-intentioned snooze. ... The script's high point for adrenaline is when Samantha and Jasmine make the impulsive decision to - wait for it - litter. Read more

Liz Braun, Toronto Sun: Thanks to an intelligent script and the performances of Cobie Smulders, Gail Bean and Elizabeth McGovern, the minutiae of everyday life in this small, lovely film will capture your interest. Read more

Simon Abrams, Village Voice: Unexpected, a disappointing what-to-expect-when-you're-expecting comedy, tackles thorny issues of class and racial inequality with undue mildness. Read more

Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: "Unexpected" would have been enriched by a more generous balance between the two characters' worlds. But Swanberg shows a sure, sensitive hand in limning the upshots and downsides of life's most blessed events. Read more