MovieChat Forums > Fifteen and Pregnant (1998) Discussion > love this movie but have several isssues...

love this movie but have several isssues and questions


first off why do they make Kristen dress so ugly. I mean I know she's a teen but some of those outfits look ugly and of the cute ones the oversized blue top (which would never be that long on a pregnant lady) and leggings and the overalls were short scenes. the other beef if I had was the labor scene. u go in the room and she's laying on bed when a contraction hits they pan around her as she arches up and to her right side and by when they do a close up on Kristen she's completely soaked (presumably the sweaty face and hair look in most labor scenes on tv and movies) and we're supposed to believe that in those few seconds she sweated that much? really? any thoughts?

reply

First off, yes, the fashion wasn't great. I figured it was supposed to be set in the late '80s to early '90s, which doesn't help.
And secondly, as if always the case with on-screen childbirth, they condense hours and hours (sometimes even days) worth of stuff into a few minutes. I guess we were to assume that when Tina is covered in sweat, some time has passed, and the poor thing is still at it.
However, having given birth for the only time at 17 myself, I remain impressed at how well Dunst played that scene for a sixteen year old. I mean, each to their own, I personally was in such unmedicated pain I kept slipping in and out of consciousness. But they always make labour look like such an easy job on film.

reply

what do u think they used a bucket or actual make up for the sweaty look and is that normal for birth since it seems to be in the movies

reply

In movies, they often use a sort of make up that gives a fake sweat look. I remember reading, years ago, about some actor who was allergic to the fake sweat so had to run laps or something before they began filming!
As for being that sweaty while giving birth, it's absolutely realistic. By the time you've gotten to that stage of birth, you've probably been there for at least six hours in increasing pain (probably a lot more) and it's an incredibly difficult thing to do. I'm certainly in no hurry to try again :P

reply