Grandma

The events unfold in contemporary Los Angeles during the mid-2010s, a period marked by shifting attitudes toward family, sexuality, and reproductive rights. The urgency of Sage’s abortion and the scramble for money reflect a present-day reality where personal stakes and moral choices collide. The setting emphasizes immediacy over nostalgia, grounding the drama in everyday life.

Los Angeles serves as a sprawling urban backdrop for a raw, intimate journey. The city’s neighborhoods become stages for a tense, money-driven quest that threads through sunlit streets and tucked-away cafes. Its varied urban landscape highlights the characters’ pursuit of independence and survival within a contemporary setting.

💔 Choice

Sage’s pregnancy triggers a desperate quest for funds to end the pregnancy, highlighting how financial strain shapes reproductive decisions. Elle’s willingness to bend rules reveals a conflicted morality amid urgency and care for her granddaughter. The abortion clinic scene acts as a turning point that tests autonomy, responsibility, and family loyalties. The film treats the topic with unflinching honesty, avoiding simplistic judgments.

👪 Family Ties

The road trip brings old and new family tensions into focus, from Sage and Elle to Judy’s protective role as a single mother. Secrets surface, forgiveness is offered, and boundaries are renegotiated as money, love, and responsibility collide. The film probes what family means when lives intersect at a moment of crisis, and who gets to decide its terms.

💭 Grief

Elle’s memory of her late partner Violet colors her judgments and moments of tenderness. Grief threads through her impulsive choices and sharp humor, shaping how she relates to Sage and the world around her. The character’s vulnerability is balanced by a stubborn resilience that drives her to protect family, even as she navigates loss.