I don't plan to see
this movie, so I wanted to share this review at the blog
On Incarus' Wings, from a self-described Christian (the intended audience for the film) birth mother:
October Baby is the latest feel good film from the Christian film industry. I loathe the premise behind this movie. Lets break it down shall we? A note: there are plenty of spoilers in this review.
If you want the quick version of my criticism it is this: This film is full of adoption cliches that are largely believed by society, mainly Christian society. It once again proves that the telling of a story to propagate a pro-life agenda is more important to filmmakers than finding out the intricacies of adoption and portraying them in a realistic light.
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When the adoptive parents reveal to Hannah that she is adopted they also reveal that she is the result of a botched abortion. Here is where I personally take the biggest issue with this movie. Yes, this is a possible story. Yes, there are women that have abortions that do not work and the result is the mother giving up their child for adoption. But this story line? It makes me angry. The vast majority of birth mothers did not consider abortion for their child.
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I get angry when the church and pro-lifers say that adoption is the alternative to abortion. It is not. Life is the alternative to abortion. Adoption is the alternative to parenting. These are two separate decisions that should not be made at the same time. Every woman that has ever been in a crisis pregnancy knows that first you decide if you want to have and abortion or not, then you decide what you are going to do with the baby once you decide to let the baby live. Once again, adoption is not the alternative to abortion.
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In conclusion, “October Baby” proves that it is pro-life propaganda instead of a honest portrayal of adoption. It makes me sad that adoptees are going to go to this movie and once again hear the myths and stereotypes that they are all too familiar with. It makes me sad that people will see this movie and think they know about adoption instead of an accurate portrayal of what adoption really is. It is upsetting that once again birth mothers will be vilified and yet at the same time portrayed as heroes for giving their child life. It angers me that this will be a catalyst for someone to adopt, not knowing the realities of adoption.
Have you seen the movie? What did you think?
I haven't seen it and I have no desire to. In my opinion, I'm not even sure of the truth that actually exists in what this adoptee was told.
ReplyDeleteMy son was told by his adoptive mother that he too was one of these odd "survivors" of abortion gone wrong. The only difference, she fed him the lie that I, "had an abortion but it didn't take so I was forced to remain pregnant with him," only a few years ago, after we had reunited, he was living with us and we were in the process of adoption him back.
I will not give a single cent to anything that supports that myth that adoption and abortion are related in any way.
Again, I will repeat, as I do so many times . . . Abortion is a woman's decision on whether or not to continue a pregnancy. Adoption is a woman's decision on whether or not to parent her child. There is no connection. None!
I have no intentions of seeing this movie. If I want people to call me a "botched abortion", Ill head back to Catholic grade school, lol. As Cassie said, most first Mothers would have not considered abortion in the first place. For old adoptees, such as myself, abortion wasn't available, legal or safe back then. It's pure propaganda, and Im already dreading the comments people will make about it to me, being the heathen pro-choice adoptee that I am. ;)
ReplyDeleteCassi said: "I will not give a single cent to anything that supports that myth that adoption and abortion are related in any way."
ReplyDeleteI will second that notion.
I am uncertain as to why people who haven't seen a movie, feel so strongly in blogging or reviewing. Your rant is completely biased and "unsupported" by people such as myself who have actually taken an hour and a half of my life to sit down and watch the film. This movie evokes emotion, portrays the feelings of loneliness, confusion, deception and self discovery. All themes which a person whom is adopted can relate to at one point in their life. The topic of abortion is brought up in this film, however that is not the underlying meaning behind this movie. I see religion is quite prominent in your rants. Perhaps you should attack a religious website instead of this. Are you adopted? Have you adopted? If you answer yes to either or both of these, shame on you for not taking the time.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore,
"A botched abortion". Raw. Imagine yourself hearing that. No matter how you word it/sugar coat it, the way it would seep into your mind would translate as such : "botched abortion" "accident" "mistake" "reject". It's real. It happens. Whether survivors of abortion, survivors of an abusive household, adopted, or even your average Joe there is youth that has felt instances of loneliness, confusions with identity etc.
Unless you have been adopted you will not truly relate. No movie will truly capture the feelings, unless of course the production team was adopted. This movie does a fantastic job in portraying adoption, abortion, and self discovery. I applaud FOX for taking the time in creating a movie like this. Oh, and yes I did spend $19.99 on this DVD.