Everything about Sascha (Will Greenberg), the titular character of the gestation comedy “Doula,” is comforting: his gentle voice, his soft belly, his cuddly cardigan. He’s like a plush toy reimagined as a birthing partner, and he’s exactly what Deb (Troian Bellisario), the unprepared mother-to-be, needs.
Convincing her of this is the most entertaining section of a screenplay (by Arron Shiver) that initially skips and darts before taking a deep dive into the birth canal. The rom-com beats are deceptive: “Doula” (directed by Cheryl Nichols) has much more on its mind than romance. And a good thing, too, as the independent, outspoken Deb seems entirely mismatched with her controlling boyfriend, Silvio (Shiver). So when Silvio unilaterally hires Sascha, the son of Deb’s recently deceased midwife, as a replacement, Deb is not easily won over.
“I’d like to show you some yoni stretches,” Sascha offers Deb, who would prefer to be masturbating. This explicitness about sex and desire during pregnancy, as well as other pleasures like alcohol and weed, is refreshing, as is the movie’s refusal to proselytize for home birth. Silvio might have purchased a birthing tub — again, without consulting Deb — but “Doula” takes sides only with the mother, its repeated insistence on a woman’s right to make her own choices landing with unexpected timeliness.
Though finding mild humor in Silvio’s insecurities and the magnificently hairy forearms of Deb’s gynecologist (Chris Pine), “Doula” thrives mainly on Bellisario (always the most interesting of the “Pretty Little Liars”) and Greenberg’s tart-sweet connection. The running time is too long, and the finale’s screaming too prolonged; but, unlike childbirth, this good-natured movie delivers a dry, funny and utterly painless experience.
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