Fifteen and Pregnant (1998 TV Movie) User Reviews

A bit too lax on the difficulties of being a teen mother

[cosmic_quest · 6/10 · 17 May 2006]

'Fifteen and Pregnant' is a made-for-TV film clearly aimed at warning teenage girls (and boys) that unprotected sex is a big no-no but while it is an enjoyable film in itself about how families must pull together, it just isn't hard-hitting enough to get the message across.

Kirsten Dunst is in the role of fifteen-year-old Tina, who ends up pregnant after losing her virginity to her lay-about boyfriend. Of course, despite his promises, he quickly takes off as Tina's bump begins to grow leaving her to cope with the dual difficulties of teen pregnancy and single motherhood. Meanwhile, Tina's family are left reeling with the news that their teenage daughter is about to make them grandparents.

The film did raise the interesting point of how younger children feel when their teenage siblings fall pregnant as well as depict the shock, shame and worry parents are left languishing in at such news. However, it would have been far more effective as a teaching tool had Tina had a harder time of things (she was lucky that she had a supportive family, something not all teen mothers will have) and had we been able to see her cope with the sleepless nights and endless crying when the baby finally arrived.

That said, it would probably was quite effective in some way in showing teens of the Ninties that a baby at fifteen is not like caring for a doll. However, to be quite honest, to have an impact in today's schools, Tina is a bit old for a teenage mother. I imagine in a couple of years time, this film will be re-made with a pre-teen moppet cast in the role of Tina and be re-named 'Twelve and Pregnant'.

Not as good as I would have liked!

[BreanneB · 5/10 · 29 May 2005]

Although I do love Lifetime and I do watch it all the time, this movie was a little cheesy. Kristine Dunst, is a great actress, I love her and I like Park Overall. The things in this movie that I hated were the attitudes of some of the characters in this film such as Tina, who is a spoiled self-centered little brat who gets whatever she wants whenever she wants it. Rachel, the younger sister who's also a brat and starts a lot of arguments. The worst one of all however is the father who has an affair. But when the baby comes they all again learn what it really means to be a family. 5 out of 5 stars.

Note: If anyone knows anything about the real people and full story please write about it on the message board. Thank You.

Very educational, I liked it

[fruitlo0p03 · 7/10 · 28 December 2002]

I thought this movie was well thought out and well done. I think that I will show this movie to my kids. It showed her transition from brat to half responsible. It showed that she gave up drinking and drugs for her baby, a very smart decision.

Good Movie To Show TeenAgers

[Celine-4 · 21 February 1999]

This is a pretty good movie and an excellent movie to show to teenagers who thinks they are ready for a baby.

Fifteen & Pregnant stars Kirsten Dunst (Interview With The Vampire) as Tina, a 15 year old girl who thinks she has the perfect life. Parents she occasionally gets along with, a lot of friends to hang out with, and a boyfriend she loves and who acts like he loves her back. Then the unexpected happens. She gets pregnant. Then her whole life is changed forever. Her mother played by Park Overall (Empty Nest) doesn't want to give it up for adoption but isn't too thrilled with the idea of her keeping it either. Her father, who is trying to be forgiven for an affair is supportive of Tina, mainly cause he doesn't really know what else to do. Her brother and sister are embarrassed by her. Her so called boyfriend is more like a wolf in sheep's clothing. She has a friend, who is single and a little older than her and has a baby. Her friend can see Tina has no idea what she's getting herself into.

As I've said, the movie is a good movie to show to a teenager who thinks they are ready for a baby. The performances are good, especially from Park Overall and Kirsten Dunst. I only have two problems with this movie. First is that none of the characters are very likable. Even Tina the main character. She's a real bitc* to anyone who looks at her wrong and I had a hard time feeling sorry for her and feeling anything for her really. I wanted to slap her a few times. Park Overall's character is also a bit hard to like.

The second thing I don't like is that the first hour and a half of the movie is very believable but during the last 1/2 hour it loses its realism and goes for the happy ending where everyone is suddenly happy and everyone is one big perfect happy family. It's as if the past hour and a half never happened and everyone changes personalities overnight.

Grade wise I'd have to give it a C+ for lack of sympathy for any of the characters and the ending.

Stupid characters in a stupid movie

[Rupert__Pupkin · 1/10 · 10 June 2001]

"Fifteen and Pregnant starts" off trying to give teenage pregnancy a bad image (which was the right approach to take), but by the end it decides to dump the realism and go for the feel-good ending. Big mistake. At no time in the movie is any real thought given to adoption. The young girl and her mother take on the ultimate selfish perspective when they say, "We just can't stand the thought of having one of our 'own' living in the world without us." Only the younger sister had the brains to get up and say, "Hey, give this kid to a two-parent household who can take care of it." Too bad no one listens to kids. I kept thinking something was going to happen, but nothing did. We just sit for two hours and watch a young girl with a lot of potential throw her life down the toilet while her apathetic parents stand beside her and applaud. Very sad.

viewing

[lilfizzswifeeva15 · 6/10 · 8 October 2007]

I cant fully comment on what i think about the movie because it has been years since i have seen it and have not seen it in its entirety.

I know that typically 15 year olds' don't get pregnant often in our society, but if it is to happen it is the result of bad parenting skills. Spend more time at home talking with your kids instead of letting them busy themselves with television, they would be informed that sex at a young age leads to a lot of preventable problems. I feel very lucky that i was fortunate enough to be paid attention to and didn't have to look for love in the wrong places. Thanks mom!! But i really came on her to ask if anyone might have the movie and wouldn't mind uploading it on you-tube or my-space so i can truly and sincerely say how i feel about the movie. Thank you.

Horrible cliche after horrible cliche

[Wolford · 3/10 · 13 August 2001]

*****POSSIBLE SPOILERS***** As though you couldn't figure this plot out. This movie is terrible. Every tired cliche about teen pregnancy is trotted out to terrify girls that might be having sex. It seems like a film from the 50s. Sex = babies! Always and every time! Remember that girls! There is no birth control or abortion. They are left out almost completely. Abortion is mentioned twice briefly, and never by the girl having the baby. It is not even discussed as an option, although many, many girls would go this route. The speech the girl gives to the class about her experiences with her child is so depressing is seems to be an ad for abortion, but no. Safe sex isn't discussed either, because the film's makers want girls to know that premarital sex equals you having to care for a baby. There are heaping helpings of cheesiness throughout this movie. There are a lot of horribly canned arguments and snide comments about the pregnancy. The brother and sister seem upset about it, although no one seems inconvenienced by the pregnancy except the girl. A lot of the scenes seem very forced. Some of the better cheese and cliches: The boyfriend is a sleazeball, and leaves as soon as she gets pregnant (he even drives a Camaro!). He makes occasional efforts to be nice, but I think they wrote that in to try and make it seem like he might stay. In fact, none of the pregnant girls in the movie have a boyfriend that sticks around. One seems to, but no, he leaves eventually. Tina is forced into a class for unwed mothers, even though there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for this. She throws up in the middle of Christmas dinner. No one comes to the baby shower. This didn't seem very surprising because they only show her with two friends anyway. And for the last tired cliche - at the end of the movie the whole family comes together to welcome and accept the girl and her terrible mistake. Cliches and cheesiness aside, this movie drags. It would have made a better one hour after school special than a movie.

Great cautionary tale

[HotToastyRag · 7/10 · 18 March 2024]

As you can guess from the title, this tv movie centers on a teen girl's accidental pregnancy and how it affects her and her family's life. It has a definite agenda, and even though I am pro-choice, I really liked the way the film's message was put across. Abortion is taken off the table immediately (otherwise it would be a very short movie), but the lead's pregnancy is not portrayed as a blessing. Subtly and overtly, the characters tell the audience that high school girls have no business becoming mothers.

Kirsten Dunst, who was actually fifteen during filming, was very convincing at being in the moment. She never came across as an actress, but instead as a self-focused, very young-minded girl who doesn't understand the magnitude of her life change. She giggles with her on-again, off-again boyfriend when he discusses strollers, takes advantage of her parents pampering her during her convalescence, and tells her mother that she's looking forward to having something of her very own. Kirsten's mother, Park Overall, wears a priceless expression after hearing her daughter's incorrect interpretation of having a baby. First off, the baby is not her very own. The baby's father, Daniel Kountz, is a troublemaker who will be a bad influence and emotionally harm everyone he comes in contact with. Kirsten (and Park, unfortunately) will have to deal with Daniel the rest of their lives. Secondly, if Kirsten wants something of her own to control, she should get a pet. Children are not pets.

I'll cut my rant short and return to the movie. Everyone is affected by Kirsten's mistake. Her best friend, who had a teen pregnancy two years prior, thinks she's too immature for motherhood. Her younger sister is so embarrassed and resentful of her extra attention, she actually moves out of the house to stay with a relative. Kirsten isn't allowed to continue her classes and is taken to a special "teen pregnancy" school. Another young mother visits the class to tell the students what it's actually like to be a mom before driving a car. Her boyfriend who promised to marry her left, she works two minimum-wage jobs and is still broke, her baby exhausts her with endless and unexplained crying, and she knows she'll never get ahead. Everything is discussed: premature babies, defecation during labor, and even death from childbirth.

Fifteen and Pregnant doesn't glamorize anything. It is definitely a cautionary tale, so don't be afraid that if your daughter watches it, she'll think it's a good idea to have unprotected sex with her boyfriend. There are three options when a girl gets into trouble, and while this movie immediately dismisses abortion and adoption, it does a very good job describing the perils of teen pregnancy with intention to keep and raise the child.

Grandma Takes Charge!

[lavatch · 3/10 · 24 September 2020]

Following the revelation that young Tina Spangler is pregnant at age fifteen, the one character with the ability to instill discipline in the family is Grandma Spangler. Unfortunately, she is sent packing by the midpoint of the film, and the approach taken by the family is best stated by the father, Cal Spangler: "It'll all work itself out."

The filmmakers struggled to place a positive spin on the Spangler family's response to teen pregnancy. While they were decent people, the parents, Cal and Evie Spangler, often seemed lost in a fog as to how to cope with their family situation.

Young Tina stoically marched on to the delivery room to successfully bring little Caleb into the world. Unfortunately, the film had a "soap opera" feeling, and the sentiment seemed artificially imposed by the filmmakers.

The film needed a greater presence of a single character: Grandma.

An adult's idea of what pregnant teens are like...

[whirlgigs · 1/10 · 6 June 2006]

This movie is clearly the stereotypical adult's idea of what it must be like for a pregnant teenager. I have a hard time believing it was a "true story" from a real young mother at all.

I am a young mother and I have met and talked to dozens of other young mothers and none of them would have ever dreamed of acting like Tina did. Tina was concerned only with her selfish and was shallow and vain, as was everyone else in the movie.

For once I'd like to see a movie about teen pregnancy where the girl wasn't only concerned with gaining weight and actually succeeded in doing something with her life and didn't treat her child like a huge annoyance and burden.

O/10 for this movie.

Good for a night in, but hardly true to life

[sweetpuppylove · 8/10 · 13 May 2005]

Fifteen and Pregnant is a typical 'Lifetime Network' Movie. Girl gets knocked up, family in turmoil, family gets over it, girl has the baby, movie skims over the gory details of teen motherhood.

Kirsten Dunst plays a teenager still in high school who gets pregnant by her loser boyfriend. She has a friend who was a teen mom and offers Kirsten's character 'real world' advice. The movie ends after Kristin's character gives birth and leaves many realities of being a single teen mom out of the movie. All in all, it's a good story that focuses on the relationship between Kirsten's character and the father of the child and how her family triumphs over adversity. The story is more of how her family, her friends, her relationship with her boyfriend are all affected by the pregnancy and her personal struggle with her feelings and the other characters regarding the pregnancy.

It's a good movie to see once if you like LMN and Lifetime Movies.

Typical propagandistic piece of trash

[letheabu-745-325779 · 1/10 · 22 May 2010]

Bringing an unwanted pregnancy to term and keeping said baby is CHILD ABUSE, plain and simple. This movie conveniently ignores that reality by trying to shove religious "morality" and other socially-constructed (not to mention fictional!) ideals down the viewers' throats.

Do not let young, vulnerable children watch this movie. Don't let ANYONE watch this filth. The world would be a better place if every single copy were burned to ash and scattered to the four winds.

Here's what happens when young, single women don't consider abortion or adoption: their babies are statistically more likely to use hard drugs, commit serious crimes, drop out of school, and/or end up in jail. At the very least, they will grow up to hate their mothers for what they've done to them. Where are the movies which portray that? Where are the movies which exemplify reality? I'd love to watch one of those. I sincerely regret wasting two hours of my life on this pathetic excuse for a film.

A good TV movie.

[llihilloh · 5 December 2000]

This is just an all-right movie. Nothing great, but interesting enough to watch. The cast, plot, and writing was all good, but it kept getting off track.

If this movie is about a teen pregnancy, than it should stay focused on that topic. A couple of different situations were played around with. Evie and Cal's failed marriage was a subject that should have been left out. Rachel's wanting to live with her grandmother was another topic that had no effect on the main one. It was just an easy way to fade her out during the final months of Tina's pregnancy. Stay on the topic mentioned in the title, and we might be okay.

The cast was very well put together and they worked really good as a fictional family. Kirsten Dunst was excellent in the role of Tina Spangler. I think that she's the kind of person where you can get adjusted to her in any role. As always, she is why this movie is good. Park Overall, was very good as well. She added a certain mother-like atmosphere to the movie. Dave Andrews, who kind of stood back, played a believable parent also. Julia Whelan and Zach Sherman added their parts of sibling rivalry when it was necessary.

Another thing that I didn't like about this movie is that there were too many characters. The Spangler family, grandma, Melody, Jane, Laurie, and Ray, were all given parts to where they were important parts in the movie, but it was just overcrowded. The main characters like Tina, Evie, and Cal are okay, but everyone else sort of popped up whenever those three needed to talk to somebody. Tina's boyfriend, Ray, was obviously a very important part, but he could have had a bigger role with more lines.

The writing was enjoyable to watch, but it still had something wrong with it. Maybe it was the long scenes with no point to them. The scenes with Evie and Cal were especially unnecessary.

Overall, this was a well designed, low budget movie that had its faults but was still good. Since this movie is very real, it would be good to show to teenagers who think that they are ready for a child. I'm pretty sure that they might change their mind if they knew what comes along with having a baby. There's a couple of things that I would change about Fifteen and Pregnant, but I still liked it. It was a good TV movie.

not brilliant

[vickie_nodoubt1-1 · 4/10 · 23 September 2007]

I was very disappointed in this film. Not least because the acting was very wooden and there was not really much in the way of genuine shock at Kirsten Dunst's character being pregnant at 15 . .it seemed to be accepted pretty quickly both at home and at school. They really could have made this film good but in the end it fell well short of what I imagine the aim was. One part of the film I did quite like was the relationship between her and her sister, it certainly lifted the film and stopped it becoming a complete disaster.

I only paid about £3 for it so I wasn't expected anything amazing, but I was definitely expecting more than this.

Not a realistic movie at all.

[asimdb · 2/10 · 2 July 2004]

This has got be one of the worst, and most unrealistic, movies I have seen. It was obviously meant as anti teen pregnancy propaganda, and in that regard it worked. But as a movie showing how teen pregnancy really is, it was terrible.

Tina's mother has got be one of the worst parents I have ever seen. I know people think (and the movie portrays) that she is a good mother for not kicking Tina out, but that's not enough. Every single thing that happened she put in a negative light. Even in the show Tina commented on it, but that was done in order to show just how naive and not ready for pregnancy Tina is.

Every time Ray (the babies father) tried to do the right thing and be a father for his kid the parents kicked him away. If there was a rule book listing how to make sure someone does not want to be a father for his kids they followed every single rule!

He may not be an adult, and he may not marry Tina, but he can still be a father for his kid, and he sure wanted to! But he was not allowed to.

And why exactly did the teen moms have to miss graduation? They are not invalids or something, oh but wait, I forgot: this is supposed to be propaganda, so lets make pregnancy seem as bad as possible.

And the teen mom in the movie? If there was ever an example of how not to be a teen mom she was it. Again we are supposed to see just how bad it is, even if it's not realistic. For example her daughter basically cried in every scene she was in, and made her mothers life as miserable as possible. Not even a single scene of her mother playing with her daughter. Or adjusting her schedule to work around nap times (and sleep times) as every real mother on the planet does.

And even outright lies are not above this movie - some of the characters are discussing how many women die in childbirth and mention that it's 20%. And nowhere in the show are they ever corrected (it's more like 0.8%). Obviously in order to put some fear in the minds of the teen viewers.

If you are trying to scare your teen, then sure, watch this movie. But if you want to see a show about teen pregnancy stay far far away.

And if you want to see how to cope and deal with pregnancy, basically do exactly the opposite of everything in this movie.

Fifteen and Pregnant

[setorres-59664 · 5/10 · 13 April 2023]

What do we expect from a title as 15 and pregnant. A young girl who makes a decision that will change her life forever. We follow the life of a girl who thinks she is in love. The first love is always the one or so we think. Tiana makes a choice and ends up pregnant. When they asked her how it happened she explained that it's a sin to buy/ wear condoms and it's a sin to have sex. While religion plays a big role in society it's sad to see that kids are more willing to have sex rather than use protection. We see Tina and her boyfriend break up and how gullible she is to take him back. When he finds out she is pregnant he said he will step up and be there but he doesn't. This leaves Tina heartbroken. She was living in the fantasy that they were going to be a little happy family. What I didn't like was that because of her religion and the way her mother thinks they didn't touch up on her options. It was just she was going to have it. The father made a comment that upset Tina,":i'll be here whatever you decide". Then the parents are stressing and worrying about how they are going to financially support this child. They give her no responsibility. Meanwhile they are struggling with the fact that their teenage daughter is having a baby, they show how they are ashamed and want to keep a secret. Since they are not giving her any real responseabilty she stays thinking like a child until its time to push, only then is it becoming real. The sucky part is she has a lot to learn. The baby daddy comes to the hospital and brings his new girlfriend. The good thing is her father was there to stop him from going into the room.

A great film

[Kayley-Duffill · 8/10 · 11 June 2006]

I watched this film whilst on holiday in Tenerife last year. I had to stay in and look after my then 18 month old daughter whilst my partner went down the pub with his friend. The film really hit reality for me. I was 17 when i fell pregnant and 18 when i gave birth to my daughter so a little older than Tina Spangler in the film but i could relate to all the emotions, hopes, the gutted feelings, the ups and downs that Kirsten Dunst played so well. When her friends turned against her, it was exactly what happened to me. But i soon found out into motherhood that you grow up quickly, you make new friends and have new prospects but best off all you have somebody to lavish all your love and attention on. I do not regret having my daughter and although i think this film would be fantastic to show to younger people to show them how hard pregnancy and parenthood can be, i don't think it would put teenagers and young mums off becoming a parent full stop. It was good to know that other people can understand and relate to teenage pregnancy and to make a film out of it was perfect.

this film is so awesome

[georgina1519 · 8/10 · 3 July 2006]

I first watched this film when i was ten years old and i loved it. i love babies and anything to do with babies. I now do health and social care and i realised what percentage of teenage girls actually get pregnant in a year. where i live in northolt we the second highest teenage pregnancy rate in england. But the main reason i liked this film is because it looks at what teenage mums or mums-to-be go through during or after their pregnancy. Fifteen and Pregnant also involved the good and bad possibilities that can happen and i think it showed any teenage girl who watch this film what to expect and will in the future. I would recommend this film to my friends. And it's one of those films that you watch over and over again. To be honest i watched it two days ago on true movies on sky. I think that more true stories like this should be shown in schools to cut down on pregnancy rates across the world. It may help, it may not, but we can try.

Lessons in life can change your life.

[michaelRokeefe · 4 July 2001]

A very good movie for both young guys and girls to watch; especially when they think they are ready for the real world. Lessons learned are not easy and even blessings can come from mistakes. A teen(Kirsten Dunst) and her estranged parents(Park Overall and David Andrews)try to deal with the girl's unplanned pregnancy.

Dunst gives you a peek at a rising star. Overall showed the best talent in her emotional role. Supporting cast includes: Julia Whelan and a very dramatic Marlyn Mason.

An eye-opening film

[TheArgentWolf · 10/10 · 18 August 2004]

At the time I watched this, I was 14, going on 15, and this film was a real jolt of reality. I'd been feeling broody, and felt that I was ready for children, and this movie made me realise how stupid it was to think that. I'm now 16, and this movie has helped me write stories involving teen pregnancy, as it really gets into the emotions of all people involved.

Kirsten Dunst plays this role very well, and I was shocked at the maturity she was using. Park Overall's performance was also particularly good. I would recommend this film to all teenage girls who think it's good to have sex, and any parents and teenagers who are going through this at the moment.

Fantastic movie

[deeniaarts · 15 December 2004]

i found "fifteen and Pregnant" to be a real moving story, also very true as to what would happen if a young girl was to get pregnant. Kirsten is a fantastic actor, especially in heart moving films like this one. her boyfriend is a drop kick and you can tell from the very beginning that he wont stick around, also the way he has the nerve to show up at the birth with his new girlfriend after just dumping Tina! very unappealing!

but overall this movie will make you laugh, cry and sometimes get mad all at the same time. i put this as one of my most favorite movies yet. Fantastic Film!

This Movie Was Really Good and it scared me.

[SassieSweetP2 · 9/10 · 10 August 2002]

Kirsten Dunst is one of my favorite Actresses. And I wanted to see every movie that she made. When I read her Filmography I wanted to see that movie. When I had to take health I learned everything, but some of my friends really didnt care but they herd both sides. When I found out that Fifteen and Pregnant was on T.V. I watched it, it was so good and it had so many detaled stuff that would really happen in real life. And this is a good movie for us teens in the world to see. It really convenced me and my friends not to have unpretected sex. Kirsten Dunst did a really good job in this movie, and what is really scary is that this movie may not convinced teens because I saw two teens that are pregnant walking to my high school. Everyone did an outstanding work in and on this movie. Everything about it is true almost. Parents are really not that relax about hearing there daughter is pregnant. But I give this movie a grade A

Child becomes Mother

[Burn4me81 · 31 December 2002]

In this movie a 15-year-old gets pregnant, and fears telling her parents. Although this girl is very young, she decides right off not to have an abortion or give her child up for adoption. She makes and adult decision when she decides as a mother that her child has a better chance with her than with some other family. This movie is a prime example of how teenagers will be teenagers, siblings will fight, and parents will be there until the very end. The main focus of this movie is young Tina who will soon give birth to a child. In the begining of this movie you will see how she is just a child, sand proves it in many ways. Throughout the movie you will see her grow out of immaturity in to a young woman before her child is born. All teens should have to watch this child struggle with the fact that she is going to have to be a mature woman and mother to the child on the way. There are the "religious view of others" that are strictly opinion about how this child is going to raise her baby. They are wrong. At the end of this movie it left you on a high on how her family accepted Tina and her baby. I feel that the reason they gave this impression is that the damage has been done why cause more damage to this young life who now has a child top raise? We all know what will be coming in the years ahead.

a great movie

[kansas_midnight_rider · 10/10 · 14 March 2006]

this movie is one of the best movies that has ever come out. it is educational as well as great. it gave a real look into the world of a pregnant teen and how she deals w/ it. this movie is a inspiration to girls who are pregnant and who aren't it shows the girls who are going to have a baby how it might be like and who are thinking about having a baby the consequences. if a girl is going to have a baby and the guy leaves her, she can watch this movie and see how a regular teen who was in that situation how she felt. Kristen Dunst did a wonderful job and was very believable. i just wish that the message would get out to other teens.

A melodramatic, uninspiring waste.

[Titus-Andronicus · 11 May 2004]

I am no fan of Kirsten Dunst. I think she's a terrible actress. And she manages to give what may well be her worst performance yet, as the selfish, immature, stupid Tina.

This movie was a project for my Morality&Ethics class, and after studying it, I have to say it is terrible. I'm not saying that Tina's struggle was fake, but it's people like her that perpetrate this myth of stupid teenagers not knowing or understanding the consequences. And yes, I know that a great many pregnant teenagers face problems like this. I sympathize with them. But Tina's life was a disaster. Ray (the boyfriend) was a self-centered idiot, and if any of my friends found themselves stuck with a guy like that, they'd ditch him. In a heartbeat.

The main problem with this movie is the characters. While they may be based on real people, they do not come across as real. Not by any stretch of the imagination. Everybody is selfish and concerned only with themselves. The only halfway likable character is her father, and the only truly likable character is the dog! What does that say?

I realize that this is a very harsh review, but it's my perception. This is an utter waste. The characters are ally caricatures of the stereotypical "broken" family. Save yourself the annoyance and see a decent pregnant teenager movie - like Sugar & Spice.