From Dirty Dancing to GLOW: How abortion on screen has changed

Blue Valentine (2010). Still image via Hunting Lane Films / Silverwood Films

Blue Valentine (2010)

In Blue Valentine, Michelle Williams’ character Cindy decides to have an abortion after discovering that she is pregnant. The baby is likely her ex-boyfriend’s, which causes some tension between her and her new boyfriend Dean (Ryan Gosling), though Dean proclaims that no matter what she does, he will still love and support her.

The film depicts Cindy going to a clinic and conversing with a nurse about her sexual history (when she first had sex, the number of partners she has had, etc.). The nurse goes on to explain how the procedure will work. Cindy has opted for vacuum aspiration abortion, the same type that April attempted in Revolutionary Road. The difference in Blue Valentine is that Cindy has the option to see a professional and have the procedure performed safely.

The doctor explains each step of what he is doing to Cindy, much like doctors do in real-life exam rooms. He describes each instrument, where it is going, and what it may feel like, and asks Cindy to help him by breathing and then coughing at certain times. The abortion provider in the film was Timothy Liveright, an actual abortion provider who has since had his license revoked for misconduct. However, the authentic quality of the scene is certainly helped by his monotonous, matter-of-fact explanations.

Before the procedure is over, Cindy asks the doctor to stop. She gathers her clothes and leaves the clinic with Dean. The whole sequence of events is a very realistic portrayal of abortion, as well as how a patient could change their mind even mid-procedure. Blue Valentine does seem to suggest that in some cases, abortion could be the best option even if a patient second guesses.