Film

Natalie Morales on Quest To Show What Life Is Like for American Teenagers in ‘Plan B’

Lead Photo: Courtesy of Plan B.
Courtesy of Plan B.

Think about some of the quests that teenagers in R-rated comedies have taken and you’ll see the uniqueness of a movie like Plan B. In Superbad, two teen boys are on a quest to buy alcohol for a party. In American Pie, a group of male friends are on a quest to lose their virginity before prom.

“The quest in this movie is, ‘I gotta get basic health care,’” Plan B director Natalie Morales told Remezcla during a recent interview. “I thought that was revolutionary and something I hadn’t seen before in the scope of an R-rated comedy.”

Plan B stars Indian American actress Kuhoo Verma (The Big Sick) and Mexican American actress Victoria Moroles (TV’s Teen Wolf) as Sunny and Lupe, two high school friends living in conservative, small-town South Dakota who go on a road trip to their nearest Planned Parenthood to get the morning-after pill after Sunny’s first sexual experience doesn’t go as planned.

“This is not an uncommon thing,” Morales said. “You walk out of your house and things can be very funny or terrifying. That’s what spoke to me–the combination of all the things that life is.”

Since the topic of birth control can be such a polarizing topic, does a comedy like Plan B have an agenda? Morales doesn’t think so, but she’s fine if her film helps young women like Sunny get easier access to services like Planned Parenthood.

“I don’t think this movie has an agenda other than just plainly showing what life is like for teenagers in America today with, of course, some heightened situations, comedy and insanity,” Morales said. “But the things they are dealing with like the lack of sexual education and how hard it is to talk to their parents [about sex], these are real.”

Morales experienced that herself growing up with parents who are Cuban immigrants. Although she said it was difficult for her to talk to her mother about certain things, she always knew she would be there for her – just like the parents in Plan B.

“I hope that this movie is not entirely aspirational,” Morales said. “I hope that if you’re a parent and you watch this movie–even if you’re freaked out by it–you can put yourself in the position of these girls and understand that’s what it’s like to be a teenager and that sometimes you do just need your parents.”

Plan B premieres on Hulu May 28.