Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer

I remember when this story first broke. It was shocking then. This movie brings details to light that makes you really think. It's well done. It's solid truth. But it's not pretty.

Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer. It's not the gross out propaganda film that certainly could have been. It's "just the facts ma'am" of a story of heinous killings that just happened to take place in a legal abortion clinic, but outside of anyone's definition of abortion. The movie is a thought provoking journey into a terrible crime that the media was afraid to report because of its political implications. Solid acting and screenplay conveys this bizarre criminal episode perfectly, without the frills or preaching.

Much of the film taken from actual witness and trial transcripts. I thought it was very well done. The "pro-choice" prosecutor wasn't intending to make a case against abortion--people can claim the film has a "pro-life" agenda but it's easy to see it doesn't. The only side that made it about abortion was the doctor's defense. A good movie in terms of acting, filmmaking, pacing, and a solid storyline.

It's a tough subject, but no gory pictures. Teens and up should have no issues seeing this movie.

Saw the movie today. Was not sure what I was going to get. I only went because I was interested in the actual case, and also was relieved by what I had seen that it mostly stays apolitical and lets the story speak for itself. I was pleased to see what I had read/heard was generally accurate. The script was tight, and generally the acting was excellent (Jeanine Turner's character felt the most mis-cast/off, and the blogger, pivotal to making the case go in the movie feels a bit to convenient as a writer's artifice). Production-wise, the greatest weakness was the cinematography. At times the framing just wasn't up to snuff. Searcy does a great job as both a director and actor, Other actors that stand out are Sarah Jane Morris (she undergoes a believable character arc) and Earl Monte is calmly disturbing in the titular role.

That said the movie flowed well, and though there could be many gross-out/gore scenes, they were avoided, and instead what was unseen was what turned my stomach the most.

My biggest complaint where I think they makers went to far and showed their bias was in the closing credits as the included some photos of the crime scene. Nothing overly disturbing (one may be a bit much), but I prefer they had just given the web link for those interested - which they do with one image key to making the case that obviously would have went to far.

I will recommend this movie, and would score it a solid 7 out of 10.

My review of powerful film "Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer." 9/10

This movie very closely follows the discovery of actual crimes committed by Dr. Kermit Gosnell, and his trial. Due to the disturbing subject matter, it could have very easily been made into an R-rated film; however, the producers decided to portray the events in a tasteful way, that would probably be rated at the edge of G/PG if played without sound; its PG-13 rating comes from the disturbing accounts of late-term abortions, abortions that are legal in many states, so long as the unborn baby's life is terminated within the womb of its mother; Dr. Gosnell's crime was killing them after they had been born.

The film was not preachy, and was not overtly anti-abortion. In fact, the most famous actor in the film, Dean Cain, remains pro-choice. What it does very effectively is reveal the horrors of late-term abortions that are performed on babies that would likely otherwise survive, if given proper medical attention. I personally think that it would also cause most pro-choice people to reconsider their support for abortions at earlier points in a pregnancy.

I would advise that you watch this film, so you can know the truth, as this film very closely followed the actual events of what happened, going so far as to follow the exact court transcripts for the trial scenes. It's not a movie that will leave you feeling happy afterward, but hopefully it will cause you to consider what you can do to help women who are in desperate pregnancies.

I doubt it will be at the cinemas for long, based on the less-than-half-full attendance we saw at opening night. Despite being a very well-made and well-acted movie, it has faced an uphill battle to be publicized, with major advertising outlets refusing to play commercials, including Facebook and NPR; powerful organizations like Planned Parenthood are also strongly pressuring movie theaters, some successfully, not to release the movie.