A Conversation About Compassion and Community

In their new film, ‘Due West,’ Adrianne Palicki and Henry Thomas explore the importance of community and compassion in a world often divided by controversy and opinion.

The film, now in theaters and available on digital video-on-demand, follows the story of a woman referred to as ‘The Woman’ until the final scene, who travels through Texas in secret to secure an abortion.

Palicki, who plays the lead role, emphasizes that regardless of one’s views on reproductive rights, the message of ‘Due West’ is about the kindly people who help The Woman along the way.

Thomas, who plays Pastor Mike, a community minister who wants to help The Woman, notes that the idea of the film is that there are good people out there and people have good intentions sometimes.

‘The message of the movie, honestly, is community,’ Palicki said in a recent Zoom interview with UPI.

Directed by Evan Miller and written by Miller and Hardy Janson, Palicki became an executive producer, along with Nancy and Jeffrey Palicki, The Orville co-star Scott Grimes, and Thomas.

Depicting The Woman’s personal journey was important to Palicki because she hopes it encourages conversations about reproductive rights.

‘About 80% of the women I know have gone through something like this,’ Palicki said. ‘I never knew. We just don’t talk about it.’

Palicki notes that the irony of filming in Texas, a state with strict abortion laws, was not lost on her and the film’s director, Evan Miller.

‘It kind of became Evan and I against the world as far as getting money for this thing which is very difficult to get money for a movie about abortion in Texas,’ Palicki said.

Despite the challenges, Palicki remains hopeful that the film will spark meaningful conversations and encourage people to think about the issue in a new way.

‘Either side, especially men, have come up to me and said, ‘Hey, never thought of it like that’ and that’s the point,’ Palicki said.

Thomas agrees that the film offers a unique perspective on the issue and encourages people to think about the importance of community and compassion.

‘The thing about art is you can take it or leave it,’ Thomas said. ‘I think the best art and the best films leave you with thoughts and maybe even conflict because art should make you think.’

The film gradually reveals the purpose of The Woman’s journey, and for the release of the film, marketing materials confirm that she is seeking to terminate an unwanted pregnancy.

Palicki agrees with the decision to put the subject matter in the forefront, noting that it is an important story that needs to be told.

‘At this point, it’s an important story and we’re proud of it,’ Palicki said. ‘So it is a story about an unwanted pregnancy. No two cases are the same and it’s never easy for any woman.’

The climax of the film demands an emotional performance from Palicki, who walks around a motel in a long take with camera and sound crew members coordinating the walk with her.

‘Friday Night Lights really prepared me for that,’ Palicki said.

Palicki notes that they filmed the motel scene three times, and the second take is in the movie.

Thomas, who has been in the film industry for over 40 years, compares the storytelling in ‘Due West’ to his first film, 1981’s ‘Raggedy Man.’

‘The stories have to come from a real place,’ Thomas said. ‘So I think the writers have to mine more human stories like this to keep things going and I think we’re moving more towards that and kind of away from superhero mania.’