Never equal, rarely free, sometimes caring, always hurt.
It's a powerful movie without intentional sentimentality, as every piece of the reality is heavy enough. The two girls are adequately powerless: legally impossible to have the abortion in Pennsylvania - going to New York; broken relationship with the family - noting telling parents and pooling money with your cousin; being broke and helpless in NYC - sacrifice yourself to get the money from the rantankerous guy. They exhausted everything they can to exercise the right they enjoy under the law, but it shouldn't be that hard.
The Malice against women are everywhere - and always. The man garbs and kisses their hands when handling the cash; the man masturbates in front of them on the subway; the man takes advantage of the power money and assaults the cousin; the pro-life protest near the abortion clinics; the scary movie showing in the pro-life clinic. The malice may be disguised under the caring and kindness, but it's all Malice - against the autonomy, freedom, and interests of women.
That's why the film's purport shows up when the doctor at the abortion clinic asks the girl whether she has been assaulted by any kind of behavior, by anyone, on any type of circumstance. The answers start from rare to sometimes, to always. That's the very metaphor of the movie. Men and the patriarch society never sees the problem, but it always exists. Rarely do women receive care. Sometimes they even need to sacrifice to acquire such care. The powerless situation never improves, and it's always hurting.
The most powerful scene is Autumn holds her cousin's hand when she is kissed by the man who takes advantage of her. It shows how women can help women to comfort and support each other when things keep going worse. Her cousin accompanies Autumn to NYC, sacrificing herself to get the money. She has been helping and supporting all the time. When she suffers, Autumn finally stands up and holds her hand. It's a decisive moment without the need for words. That's how women understand women and how women help women. That's the caring that "sometimes" appears.
In the end, Autumn and her cousin go back to Pennsylvania. Abortion is done, but nothing goes better for women, as it always be.
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