Gosnell

I had to make this my first movie review.  I actually had the opportunity to watch this in the theater.  I was in California at the time, and it was playing at the local theater.  I was shocked, so I took a picture of the marquee.  Since I was staying with my aunts at the time, who are super liberal, I chickened out.

It was released on home video, so I took the opportunity to finally watch it, and it was worth the wait.

The film has been in the making for quite a while, but due to its controversial nature, wasn't released until last October, and even then, it had a rather limited theatrical run.  Even so, it did fairly well for such a limited release.

The film was directed by Nick Searcy.  The screenplay written by Andrew Klavan, and the film was produced by Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney.  It is based on the book Gosnell:  The Untold Story of America's Most Prolific Serial Killer by Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney.  I reviewed that book here.

I've read the book the film is based on, and I've read the grand jury report, so I am familiar with the case.  Anyone who knows the case will be familiar with the story, but it's compelling all the same.  I greatly enjoyed seeing the story dramatized.

The film stars Dean Cain as Detective James "Woody" Wood and Sarah Jane Morris as Alexis McGuire.  Dr. Gosnell is played by Earl Billings, and Janine Turner has a cameo of sorts as Dr. North, an abortionist.  I was also quite pleased to see Alfonzo Rachel in a role as a detective working with James Wood.

I thought the performances were pretty good, and I am really being objective here.  I especially liked Earl Billings as Dr. Gosnell - he is exactly as the authors of the book describe him as - personable, affable and totally unconcerned.  Sarah Jane Morris is also really good as Alexis McGuire, especially during the trial.

The pacing is good, and the story zips along, covering all the important parts of the story - the initial drug bust, the investigation, grand jury report, Gosnell's arrest and, of course, the trial.  It is also pretty accurate, although some parts were dramatized.  They got a lot right, though - the conditions of Gosnell's clinic, the fact that it was overrun with cats (and I am a crazy cat lady, but even I wouldn't want to be treated at a clinic overrun with cats), the unlicensed and untrained personnel, and how everybody basically avoided dealing with the problem of Gosnell's clinic, even though he had violated many rules many times over.  But God forbid anybody talk about abortion.

Some of the pivotal moments are told in flashbacks, and these flashback sequences all have a blue tinge to them, making them even gloomier than they are.  Plus, there's one excellent scene that is shot from the baby's perception, including the snipping of its neck.

By the way, this film isn't gory.  It's PG-13.  There's no graphic photos of aborted babies or anything like that.  We don't even see the infamous photos of dead fetuses.  We do see the jars of severed feet, however.  That's about it.  I'm actually glad they didn't do this - instead, when the infamous photo of Baby Boy A is presented to the jury, we see only their reactions to the photo.  An excellent scene, and one that had me tearing up.

Leftists might sneer at it and complain about the performances, or the dialogue, or the cinematography or whatever...but I found the film profoundly moving.  Maybe I'm biased.  I don't know.  I get the sense that Andrew Klavan and the producers tried to make it more even handed and neutral, but abortion does not come out of this unscathed, nor do the people who bleat "a woman's choice at any cost" given the fact that Gosnell's clinic was super nasty and that the state of Pennsylvania - even its governor - basically ignored it for decades.

The mainstream media ignored the original news story and they ignored this film.  I can see why, because abortion does not come across very well.

My only quibble is that I would have liked to see more of Gosnell's victims on the witness stand, including the girl that ended up having to have a hysterectomy after his 'abortions.'  

This film should really be seen by people who don't know much about the case.  For someone like me, it's preaching to the choir.  But for someone on the fence...maybe it will sway them a little.

I am glad it was made, and I am so happy it finally got released.  I wish I had seen it in the theaters.