Call Jane

She had a life threatening pregnancy. But the hospital board turns her down when she needed an emergency abortion. She had limited options. Year 1968, 5 years before the Supreme Court ruled under Roe v Wade decision that the constitution conferred the right to have abortion. She visits a shady clinic, considers falling down the stairs and finally finds a flier near the shady clinic she visits: Call Jane. Inspired by true events, this period drama tells a story of a group of staunch and unapologetic grassroots women activists and their ideology of altruism superseding the judgements. When a woman needs help, the underlying reason is not important. Well made and well acted! Fantastic job by screenwriters Roshan Sethi and Hayley Schore for lightening up the serious subject with some humor and still maintaining its quintessence. In today's context, this seems so timely.

This is based on The Jane Collective, a clandestine group in Chicago between 1969 and 1973. It facilitated an estimated 11,000 illegal but safe abortions. It is not just about empowering women as this concept was introduced just in 1985. Women have fought their battles since ages whether it was for suffrage, education, employment or for something as basic a right as abortion. A great watch.

Now more than ever, the topic of this film has become relevant again.

This basically shows part of the fight women had to go through to fet the right to decide over their own body.

And now half a century later (give or take a few years), that right is not just endangered, but seriously threatened again with Roe vs. Wade overturned.

Personally, I always felt that while certainly the opinion of the father (if he is in a relationship with the mother) should be considered, ultimately, this is the woman's body, and she has to decide.

So, this is an important topic, and the film has a good cast, but I can't go higher than 5 stars, because it is just not that good.

Talented actors, but no one is giving their best.

The film fails to hold the suspense and the attention of the viewers.

And I'm sorry to say this, but I have become tired of Elisabeth Banks, even in her comedies, it's always about women fighting against evil and mostly stupid men.

Women are always the better humans.

So even here, when I completely agree with the position of her character, when I'm completely with the message of the film, she actually makes me like the film less.

She has become an actor/director that does nothing but push an agenda, and I find it tiresome.

The right to choose was settled until it wasn't! Who would have thought that another "Call Jane" movement would be necessary in 2023?

The film while not perfect get the message across that women were not in control of their own bodies, could not terminate a pregnancy even when medically necessary and the woman's life was in danger. One of the opening scenes has Elizabeth Banks as Joy, pregnant with congestive heart trouble and a hospital board of men voting no on terminating her pregnancy because she might live through it. I almost forgot how dire the situation was back when abortion was illegal in my lifetime. The pill had just become available and has been life changing for women. The film does a good job portraying that time. What a travesty that women's rights have been taken away in more than half of America. I would not have ever predicted that we could regress but we have. It is a tragic state of affairs.

Termination is everyone woman's right. It is a private decision. Laws against women, doctors, pharmaceutical companies, and culpability against anyone willing to help girls and women access to medical help are despicable.

I recommend this film for everyone.

Call Jane is a must watch. Not necessarily because it is the best film around, but because it is so vitally important given the state of the world today.

It is hard not to be very emotionally stirred by this tale of courageous women taking control of their own bodies and their futures in the face of oppression.

The central performance from Elizabeth Banks is very engaging, playing a character that it is easy to sympathise with and connect to.

The story is engaging and well told, if not overly flashy.

I do think certain elements of the film could have been explored and developed more, and it could have been a bit more punchy in parts.

But still, given the state of the world and the ridiculous oppression of women's bodies, it is hard to ignore the importance of a film like this.

This movie should be shown in ALL schools as part of the required curriculum. It's not a fancy, flashy, big budget production. It's a modest movie that tells a great story. A very important one. And it does a mighty fine job at doing that too. Sure, we all know those times existed not that long ago in our history but most people don't know what it was REALLY like... what those women went through, how difficult it was, how expensive, etc. This movie felt like it told the story the right way. With a lot of compassion. It's not here to make a ton of money, it's just here to enlighten and spread a message. The acting from Banks and Weaver is the usual/expected top notch, no surprises there, with Banks sometimes telling an entire story with just a slight shift on her face. This is not a fast action packed movie and I see that a lot of people complained about that which I don't understand. It felt like it had plenty of intensity in it for me and it kept me watching from beginning to end. There was always something interesting and new happening. Sure, there were a couple of plot holes (abortion advertisements at a bus stop in the 50's??) but they needed to get the story across so I get it.

Overall this was an excellent movie. Please enjoy it responsibly!