Jennifer Branson is a correspondent for the South Texas Catholic and works part-time for the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
 

The film opens on Abby Johnson’s perfect life. She kisses her beautiful family goodbye, drives her perfect red convertible to her executive parking space at Planned Parenthood, exchanges friendly hellos with her coworkers, and hunkers down in her office to work. There are no hints that her life – and perhaps yours – is about to change dramatically. She is asked to help with an abortion. As she holds the ultrasound wand in place so that the doctor can complete the procedure, she is rattled by the sight of the baby writhing in pain and resisting the suction tube as it is dismembered piece by piece. 

The scene is made even more saddening once you know that it’s true to life – the doctor is played by a real doctor who performed actual abortions. As Abby runs to the bathroom and cries uncontrollably, I sit in my seat and think about all of the little souls rejected in this way every day. This is a movie, yes, but this really happens every single day. 

To keep watching I had to tell myself, “it has to get better, it must!” I’m glad I did. The scene flashes back to college, showing Abby, full of optimism and naiveté, the first step she took toward Planned Parenthood at a college fair, following her relationship with the abortion giant, including through two of her own abortions, volunteering, and ultimately working there. 

The treatment of life in the clinic is fair. It is portrayed as clean, there are friendly and efficient staff that you could readily identify as people you’ve worked with (even that one that marches to the beat of her own drum), and everyone there genuinely believes that they are helping women. Even the less charitable side of the pro-life movement is represented honestly: people in grim reaper costumes and a man jeering loudly at the vulnerable women entering the clinic set a harsh contrast to Abby calmly and respectfully escorting them inside the doors. 

But the story gradually but firmly exposes the horrors of even the “tidiest” abortions at each step. The pain, cramping, and clotting of Abby’s second abortion, one done by RU-486 pill, and the accompanying coldness from the clinicians about her symptoms being “normal.” The girl who nearly bleeds to death from a perforated uterus while the abortion doctor has to do his best with limited resources to save her so that the clinic can avoid the PR disaster of calling an ambulance. Even in a perfect clinical environment, the gruesomeness of the act does not go unnoticed. 

True to evangelical film form, there are a few details that will annoy you. The portrayal of Abby’s boss and mentor, Cheryl, is completely cold and villainous, which falls flat, especially since the other clinic staff is well-rounded. The development of Abby’s home life is also left a little flat, with her parents and husband displaying what seems like St. Monica’s patience with her work at Planned Parenthood. Those things, however, don’t get in the way of what has been an overwhelmingly powerful message that has rocked the box office and shaken Hollywood. 

Already many fruits of its message are evident. Shawn Carney of 40 Days for Life, depicted in the film, reports that there has been an increase of people coming out to pray at abortion clinics across the U.S. Lead actress Ashley Bratcher not only solidified her own views on abortion, but discovered that when her mother was pregnant with her she went to get an abortion. She was in the clinic, and something changed her mind and made her go through with having Ashley. Pro-Choicers watching the film have admitted to taking a critical look at their views. This is a movie that is worth supporting and a message that, despite its “R” rating, is appropriate for young adults and older.