I would be lying if I said that my main motivation for going to see this film was not because of Cory Michael-Smith. I was just so pleased to see him in something outside of Gotham that I dragged myself to the cinema to watch a film I wasn't necessarily interested in just to support him.
I say not interested in, in reality I mean not educated on the subject matter. Historically things are quite different in the US than here in the UK, but I am sure that rules on abortion were not that different after all. But it isn't really addressed or talked about. As a young woman I have/had no idea about the lengths women went to back then in order to survive both the dangers of childbirth as well as unwanted pregnancy. In some countries and cases women still need to.
Call Jane centers around the emotional impact as well as the practicality of this sensitive issue. We start out following Elizabeth Banks' character who is told her pregnancy is basically killing her due to another health issue. If she were to terminate she would survive, if she were to continue she would die. The hospital make it clear they will always prioritise the baby. She is walking around with a death sentence.
At first we see how this impacts her marriage and her. We see the choices she makes because of this and her thought process. We then get to see her being offered a way out, an illegal abortion. All she needs to do is Call Jane.
Jane is a group of women, primarily who have gone through the procedure, who are helping other women in the same position. They organise these abortions in a safe manner which is not as backstreet as some other options our lady had tried to use, as well as offering aftercare and the opportunity to return the favour.
Our main character takes it upon herself to learn this crucial medical craft to help women so they become more of a non profit than turning away women who can't afford the dodgy doctor otherwise known as Cory Michael-Smith. All the while she is trying to keep this from her daughter and husband and is driving them away and into the comfort of her neighbour/best friend.
Once the secret is out all becomes good. Her family become supportive and this operation runs for a great many years before we see a celebration party where the procedure has finally become legal. Turns out this is based on a true movement. I left that cinema feeling both empowered and proud of those women. This was a powerful film and I thought about it for days afterwards. I talked about it to my female colleagues and friends, I urged them to watch it because this was important, this still is important. Those who listened agreed it was powerful and it made them feel blessed and powerful too for all the headway those women made, we have a better life due to those brave women before us.
I had just a few hours before finished reading Dying of Politeness- A Memoir by Geena Davis, and she was talking about the ratio of men to women in films and movies tailored to different sexes etc. So with all this fresh in my mind I found myself analysing Call Jane to see if it was Geena approved as a movie pretty much marketed to women due to the subject matter. I am happy to advise the ratio of women to men was high, as it should be with a film about women (you'll be surprised at how many films for women are heavily relying on male actors). Aside from the fleeting board of doctors during the hospital scene there were only 2 men really present. Our main lady's hubby and the fake doctor doing the abortions. Even then they were only really used for pivoting the plot, the rest was female driven.
Despite me going purely to support someone from my favourite TV show this movie was full of big names. Um hello, Sigourney Weaver anybody? Elizabeth Banks? You will recognise a great cast of people here. They did it justice.
Call Jane was powerful, emotional, beautiful and I would watch it again. With that I am awarding it an 8/10.
I seriously urge every woman to watch this film, and every man who wishes to support women or be educated to watch it too. Even if you identify as neither you will learn something. This movie deserves some recognition.
Please, please tell me what you think about Call Jane, let's have a chat!
Comments
Post a Comment