INCONCEIVABLE
US, 2017, 105 minutes, Colour.
Gina Gershon, Nicky Whelan, Nicolas Cage, Faye Dunaway, Sienna Soho Baker, Harlow Bottarini, Natalie Eva Marie, Jonathan Baker, James Van Patten.
Directed by Jonathan Baker.
The film opens with a gruesome killing, Katie, a seemingly battered mother killing the father and escaping with her child. She turns up four years later with her daughter, becomes friends with some of the mothers in a community, especially Angela, a doctor, whose husband, Brian, is also a doctor.
Audiences may feel they have already worked out what is going to happen, especially in the relationship with the adults.
Not exactly.
This is a Gina Gershon film even though Nicolas Cage appears as her husband, rather a minor role and is generally in the background. Gina Gershon plays Angela, having had several miscarriages, having succeeded in pregnancy with an egg donor and is the mother of the little girl. However, given drugs for her pain, she has become addicted Brian demanding that she stop. They want another child, Angela having so suffered several miscarriages, trying again for a donor egg but this time wanting a surrogate mother.
Katie reappears with her daughter, is talented as mother-nanny, is employed by Angela and Brian (despite the reservations of Brian’s mother, Faye Dunaway).
There are quite some complications, Katie and her relationship with one of the local women, Linda, the discovery that Linda is to be the surrogate mother which, of course, she wants to be, leading her to kill Linda. She does become the surrogate mother, revelling in the fact that she will have not only had daughter, Angela’s daughter (because she was the egg donor) and the new baby, a boy.
Lots of conflict, Brian not understanding, Angela desperately researching Katie, discovering the truth, getting DNA tests (with the doctor being the film’s director, Jonathan Baker).
And, a melodramatic ending with a knife fight, Angela wounded, Katie wounded but giving birth.
There is a final scene with the family all reunited – which seems quite unnecessary for the way the film was going.
1. The title? Conception, artificial insemination? Surrogacy? In the play on words, that the action could be inconceivable in credibility?
2. The opening, Katie and the crying baby, the man coming in, choking her, her getting the knife, killing him? Audience assumption that this was her child? (And the later revelation about her role as an egg donor, her daughter, taking, being a mother to her, the flashbacks to the murder of the selfish mother in the bath…?)
3. The focus of the film on Angela, at home with Brian, her medical background, his being a doctor? The love for Cora? The filling in of the background of her miscarriages, the donor, her bearing her child, the consequences, the drug relief, the potential for addiction? Her staying at home and caring for her daughter, wanting to go back to work?
4. Katie and her reappearance, years later, her daughter, Maddie? With Linda, the mothers in the park, caring for the children, playing with them? The bonds between Linda and Angela, Linda helping Angela with her rehabilitation? The later irony of Katie and the sexual relationship with Linda? The further irony that Linda was asked to be the surrogate mother for Angela? The donor eggs being those of Katie? The relationship, the beach, Katie coming into the water, the confrontation with Linda, drowning her? Reported as a boating accident?
5. Angela, her maternal instincts, wanting another child, prepared to go through with the surrogacy, not having thought it through thoroughly?
6. Brian’s mother, her presence, observing, sardonic, seeing through Katie? Give the continued help?
7. The role of Brian, a supporting character, in the background, allowing for Angela’s wishes, employing Katie, letting her stay in the guest house? The influence of his mother, her scepticism about Katie, suspicions? His growing worry about Angela, the drugs, the urine test? Wanting Angela to apologise to Katie after the accusations? His response to the knives and the wounds to both Katie and Angela? Angela wanting to give him the DNA information?
8. Katie, pathological, her background, donating her eggs, taking back her child and murdering the parents? Settling into a new situation? The irony of her eggs for Angela? Her being a mother to Cora, the two girls looking alike? Comments about sisters? Her abilities with the girls, continued caring for them? the murderous background?
9. Angela, competent, at work, welcomed? Friendship with Barry? Asking him to do the DNA testing? Her searching Katie’s house, the books, getting the samples for the DNA tests? The clashes with Katie, accusing her of Linda’s death?
10. Katie spiking the drink, Angela under the influence, the surprise party, her outbursts and accusations? The fight in the kitchen, the knives?
11. Brian and his behaviour, Katie giving birth and wanting Brian to be present, kissing him? The doctors? The impression that Angela had died? Brian taking Katie to see the baby, Katie having decorated the room, the paintings, Angela researching them and getting information and fuelling her suspicions, Gabriel’s name?
12. The revelation of the truth, Katie and despair, her being in a padded cell? And the family being together, including Maddie?
