Movie Review: Good Egg (2023)

In the 2023 movie "Good Egg," directed by Nicole Gomez Fisher, viewers are drawn into the world of Jessica Nieves-Sanders, portrayed by Yara Martinez. Jessica, a beloved high school drama teacher in New York City. As Jessica approaches her fortieth birthday, she and her husband Gordon, played by Joel Johnstone, face financial and emotional strain due to their struggles with infertility. 

After three failed rounds of IVF,  Jessica is presented with the option of egg donation by her doctor, which she initially rejects. In her discussions with her husband, Jessica is opposed to having a donor as the genetic mother. She worries that she will not meet her donor due to anonymity requirements and that the donor is just a piece of paper to her.  Their journey takes an unexpected turn when Jessica intervenes two men harassing a young woman, Bridget Garcia, portrayed by Andrea Londo. Bridget, in need of quick money , overhears Jessica and her husband discussing a donor and tells Jessica that she can be her donor. She describes it as an opportunity to "pay it forward" and offers a lower cost than having an anonymous donor from a clinic.  Jessica agrees to meet Bridget to discuss it further but their meeting goes wrong as they both end up kidnapped by the two men who were harassing Bridget in the alleyway. 

As Jessica tries to escape, her husband Gordon embarks on a mission to rescue her using his IT tracking skills and his fondness for magic tricks.  When they finally reunite, they face new challenges as both have to escape their captors with their lives.  

ART Realism  

The beginning of "Good Egg" is fairly realistic in depicting reproductive failure and loss, and how the grief can be experienced differently by a couple. The discussion between the doctor, Jessica, and Gordon about egg donation is exaggerated but has some realistic aspects. Jessica and Gordon, like many couples, disagree on how they view egg donation. Jessica’s concerns are reflective of women who worry about aspects of egg donation, including feeling like she is being replaced. 

  

However, when Jessica stated to her husband Gordon that she does not want a “stranger” to be the genetic mother, she is making an inaccurate assumption. The decision-making process for egg donation varies between cases as some are anonymous while others are disclosed. Many egg donation agencies facilitate communication between donors and recipients during the match. Jessica feared that she would be deceived by the egg donor for “who they truly are,” but agencies thoroughly screen donors for psychological and physical health. Also, Jessica’s assumption that the genetic mother would be a stranger is false because there can be known donors like a family member. 

Jessica and Bridget’s meeting to discuss egg donation was not an accurate depiction of the process. She requests for the money upfront after writing how much she wanted on the napkin. It would be foolish for Jessica to accept because donors are not fully compensated before any medical clearance or procedures take place. It is crucial to note that egg donation is not a quick process where the intended parents can hand over money at the first meeting. It involves several steps, including medical and psychological evaluations, legal representation for contracts, genetic screenings, and medication protocols, which typically span months before the retrieval procedure takes place. This comprehensive process ensures the safety and well-being of both the donor and the recipient, as well as compliance with legal and ethical standards regarding compensation and donation. 

It would also be advisable for Jessica to consider all her options before meeting with Bridget, though she had no reason to expect a kidnapping to occur. If money and knowing the donor were the biggest issues to her, her younger sister would have been an obvious consideration as a donor. Jessica ended up meeting Bridget without exploring the egg donation process, where she would learn there are many agencies with donors that she could have contact with during and afterwards. Fertility clinics provide comprehensive support and guidance to assist patients in making well-informed decisions based on their unique circumstances and preferences.

Is there any depiction of the legal process of egg donation? 

There's none. After the meeting with Bridget, Jessica is kidnapped and the movie turns from a comedy-drama into an action-comedy. So no lawyers are involved as the egg donation process does not get further than the match meeting.   

 

Is it worth the watch? 

In the first act, "Good Egg" skillfully addresses sensitive topics like fertility struggles and alternative methods of conception with both humor and sensitivity. The second act, the movie takes a broad turn and focuses on the efforts of Jessica to escape and Gordon to find her. The third act, when they are both trying to escape, gets a bit unrealistic and cheesy. If you were like me, you may find the conclusion puzzling because it never reveals how Gordon and Jessica completed their family building. This might disappoint some, but thanks to a good effort by the main characters, it is a watchable popcorn movie 

In summary, "Good Egg" gets three-star rating for its frenetic storyline, impressive performances, and its alternate take on egg donation. It’s worth a stream and as of this writing it’s currently free on Amazon Prime Video.  

 

If you or someone you know is considering egg donation as a way to start a family, our legal team is available to provide guidance and support. Reach out to us today for assistance.