Producing Adults

In 2004, Producing Adults would’ve undoubtedly been progressive. The story focuses in issues of fertility and of course, lesbianism. In 2022, these issues are still progressive. What ages Producing Adults is the means behind some of these themes. 18 years on, Producing Adults‘ attitude towards autonomy, informed consent and adult communication feels outdated.

Producing Adults focuses on long-term couple, Venla and Antero. After 15 years together, Venla wants to start a family. Antero is much less interested in taking such a step. Rather than communicate with Venla, Antero gets a sneaky vasectomy. As time goes on and no pregnancy occurs, Venla’s desire for a child doesn’t decrease. The possibility of parenthood is the only reason she has interest in staying with Antero. So, Venla buddies up to a fertility doctor named Satu. While Antero went behind his partner’s back to prevent pregnancy, Venla goes behind his back to ensure it. But despite Venla’s goals of locking down her partner with a child, Venla and Satu begin an affair.

In lots of fiction about relationships, simple communication could solve the story’s core issues. This is a well-worn trope. It’s one I’m not particularly fond of. Producing Adults had me internally screaming “just talk to each other!” pretty much throughout. The film is about very adult issues of long term relationships and parenthood. But the communication skills these characters display are non-existent. Pretty early on in the film Venla and Antero no long seem to want to be together. Yet rather than discuss this, they go behind one another’s backs to make both their partner and themselves increasingly unhappy.

Much of this is at least partially played for comedy. Producing Adults’ take on dramedy is to establish potentially comedic situations and milk them for drama. Other films have played similar situations for comedy. But adding the dramatic angle to it just makes these situations look notably fucked up. Venla and Antero lying to each other about their fertility could be a wacky misunderstanding. But, perhaps rightfully, it comes off as a couple violating each other’s autonomy and right to informed consent. Antero drugs Venla’s drinks with birth control, Venla steals his sperm. The threat of sexual assault comes up later for Venla. An overly friendly co-worker wants to make a “personal donation” of sperm. So, she drugs him to escape the situation. This is just played as something funny and kind of weird that happened to her.

If Producing Adults is trying to make any sort of commentary about fertility, especially as it relates to women without male partners, it gets lost. Obviously having a child without a live-in supply of sperm is difficult. And regulations and money make it harder still. But there’s no sympathy to be had for Venla in her plight. She actively makes her life and this goal harder through her actions.

Producing Adults has a lesbian happy ending. Venla and Satu love each other and are going to try for a functional relationship. This is the wrong call. Not even necessarily for the film, but for the characters. This is a relationship built on a rotten foundation of lying to one’s partner and cheating. And now, there’s a baby to contend with. Producing Adults is one of those movies about parenthood that I end believing none of these people should be parents. I worry for the stable home life of this fictional infant. Venla and Satu actually hash out their messy relationship. Thry discuss how they’d likely be at each other’s throats all the time. But after this discussion, they opt to try anyway. As far as happy endings go, I prefer it when I think the couple isn’t inherently toxic to one another.

Producing Adults is a competent movie with some bold ideas for 2004. My personal dislike is largely down to the age of the film and my own personal preference. It simply wasn’t enjoyable to watch these three toxic people refuse to communicate with one another. Some of the comedy hasn’t aged well. The film also didn’t find its footing on the tight rope that is dramedy. And personally, I really couldn’t get past that some of the wacky alternatives to open communication the characters engage in. Some of them veer into being literal crimes.

Overall rating: 5.1/10

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