Ask for Jane

A thoughtful and beautifully executed film about a story that needs to be told.

This film takes you back to 1969 to remind you what life was like in the pre roe days. But it's more than that. How do some college women become abortion providers? How do you find a Doctor willing to go to jail? How do you let women know that you have a service, without going afoul of the police? Exactly how condescending were doctors to women back then? This film deftly interweaves multiple stories to give a full picture. And it has a great ensemble cast.

This was a nice attempt to elaborate on the significance of an absurdly persisting issue in today's world. It was clearly a low budget film but the perspective, story, and the message allow you to look beyond the shortcomings.

A story that must be told and addressed always. Shows how this crap still has to be fought. Bible thumpers don't know how to mind their business and keep their religion and politics to theirselves amongst their own believers. Church and state still.mingle on daily. Just stuck living in the past forever in make believe Bible land. This is a medical procedure that lies in the hands and choice of the women who CHOOSE this for themselves and their well being. It is Not the business of the holier than thou hypocrite sinners who complain at every turn and provide zero support to those they want to force into their ways. Not to mention do the same exact stuff in the dark undercover. Ok sorry im a little touchy about this subject.

I first saw this film at the Athens Film Fest in NY this spring in a packed theatre where it was enthusiastically received. The praise was well deserved. The history of the Jane Collective in Chicago in the late 60s was both enlightening- I had never heard of it- and unfortunately timely (although the film was produced before the SCOTUS threat to Roe v. Wade was quite as pronounced). Everyone should see this film - it is a solid reminder of the actual dangers and fear that women faced before pro-choice legislation, which is rarely showcased.

As several reviewers pointed out, the small budget limited the cinematography to mainly right/small shots- but rather than this being a distraction, I found that this created a more intimate relationship with the characters- much like a play. The story was- and should be- the focus here, and it is an important one.