First released in 2009, Come What May tells the story of the Hogan family.

Judith Hogan (Karen Kelly) is an attorney at a prestigious law firm and has become so devoted to her work and her politics that her husband, a pro-life biologist named Don (Kenneth Jezek), is feeling left out in the cold.  Don has written a book that argues that life starts at conception but he’s struggling to get it published and he knows that, even if he does find a publisher, he’ll probably lose his job as a result.

Meanwhile, their son Caleb (Austin Kearney) wants to transfer to Patrick Henry College so that he can join their championship moot court competition team.  Judith agrees to pay for one year at PHC, on the condition that Caleb win the Moot Court Championship.  If he doesn’t, she won’t pay for a second year and I guess …. well, I don’t know what will happen.  I guess Caleb will have to go back to his old college.  To be honest, it seems kind of petty on Judith’s part.

Judith has a lot on her mind because she’s going to be arguing an abortion case in front of the Supreme Court.  Meanwhile, Caleb and his moot court partner, Rachel (Victoria Emmons), are going to be arguing for the repeal of Roe v Wade during their competition, despite Caleb’s fear that the moot court might not be willing to accept their arguments.  Sitting on the moot court is the retired Supreme Court justice who wrote Roe v Wade.  That would seem like a conflict of interest to me but what do I know?  I went to a party school.

Come What May is a low-budget film, one that is made with more ambition than skill.  It’s not the type of movie that’s going to change anyone’s mind about abortion and, if you’re pro-choice, you’ll probably be even more pro-choice after seeing this film.  The film works best as a 90-minute commercial for Patrick Henry College.  Seriously, the campus looks lovely!  Watching this movie, I found myself missing college.  There’s no better feeling that having your future ahead of you and also feeling like you know better than everyone else in the world.  As for the acting, the cast was often amateurish, with the exception of Victoria Emmons, who gave a very earnest and likable performance as Rachel and who, at the end of the film, got to wear this floral dress that was just to die for.

Watching the film today, what’s interesting is how dated it seems.  It’s 16 years old but, with its debate over whether or not Roe v Wade can be overturned, it feels like it might as well have been written and filmed a hundred years ago.  We now all know that Roe v Wade not only can be overturned but, in fact, it would be overturned 13 years after this film came out.  (Of course, the arguments that led to the overturning of Roe v Wade were a far cry from the largely emotional argument that Caleb and Rachel make in this film.)  Seen today, Come What May feels like a time capsule.