Popular reviews

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  Review by Ella Kemp ★★★½

  I’ll tell you what, my favourite part of this was the distinct and precise lack of crying. These talking head docs, especially when they interview women, loooove to squeeze out a tear to really create some kind of narrative arc but that bullshit just has no place here. This was about duty and respect and determination and getting the job done. They did, and then they carried on with their lives. No melodrama about it.

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  Review by BRÁT ★★★½ 1

  "Between 1968 and 1973, Jane provided an estimated 11,000 safe, affordable, illegal abortions. After Roe v. Wade, Cook County Hospital closed its septic abortion ward. It was no longer needed."

  filmed long before that villainous Supreme Court decision was leaked in May 2022, the smiles on these >60-year-old Janes' faces when they fondly recall the memory of Roe becoming law in the 70s, a cause they literally poured blood sweat and tears into, are nothing short of devastating now. a grim look into the future, where scads of terrified people will die from pregnancy complications and preventable infections, while more still will be left raising children they cannot afford to have, be it financially, physically, or mentally. the septic abortion…

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  Review by Jones ★★★★

  The cop smelled the pot roast and said
  "What’s for lunch?"
  I said, 
  “Pig.”

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  Review by Chris Feil ★★★½

  No, give me ten more hours of interviews with these women!

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  Review by soph 💌 2

  today is a dark day. i don't really have the emotional bandwidth to explain how i'm feeling right now, but i feel very angry and very sad. to put it simply.

  this felt like such an important watch. these people are heroes and i'm thankful for the work they did.

  fuck the supreme court.

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  Review by chuzen ★★★ 1

  to exclude women from ethical agency excludes us from humanity

  abortion is healthcare.

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  Review by squacken ★★★★★

  If anyone has any doubt about the impact of repealing Roe v Wade, let them see this movie.

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  Review by Corwyn ★★★½ 1

  Call this number, and ask for Jane.

  Basic and straight-forward telling of a story that's become, depressingly, all the more crucial and urgent to heed.

  Free, legal, safe, on-demand abortions to anyone and everyone who needs or wants one, and a special circle in Hell to anyone who stands in the way of that.

  ➡️ 2022 Documentaries Ranked

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  Review by Paul Elliott ★★★★

  The Janes is a terrifyingly relevant documentary. In light of the supreme court ruling that there is no constitutional right to abortion in the divided United States, reproductive rights are as hot a topic now as they were in 1968. The documentary concerns a group of abortion activists in Chicago during the late 1960s and early 1970s before Roe vs Wade made abortion legal in 1973. Filmmakers Tia Lessin and Emma Pildes work through the material linearly, bringing together historical archival footage and current interviews from several collective members. 

  The Janes, many of whom have their own atrocious stories of illegal abortions, are women now in their sixties and seventies, and all talk enthusiastically about their experiences. They counselled every…

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  Review by Soup!!! <3 ★★★★

  that woman who talked about how she'd never seen other women support women will stick with me

  we must be there for each other

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  Review by Scribbles ★★★★½

  “She wore silver bangles on her wrists and ears and she talked like God”

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  Review by Marya E. Gates ★★★★

  important story well told even if the doc is a little conventional. also a reminder how much this country still hates women.

  EDIT:

  When I saw THE JANES at Sundance I was inspired by these women who channeled their righteous anger into direct action.

  When I re-watched it in the wake of what's happening with Roe it left me feeling melancholic.

  Read my full review at The Playlist.