Thursday, April 4, 2019

Unplanned

All Abby Johnson ever wanted to do was help women. As one of the youngest Planned Parenthood clinic directors in the nation, she was involved in upwards of 22,000 abortions and counseled countless women about their reproductive choices. Her passion surrounding a woman’s right to choose even led her to become a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood, fighting to enact legislation for the cause she so deeply believed in.

Until the day she saw something that changed everything, leading Abby Johnson to 
join her former enemies at 40 Days For Life, and become one of the most ardent 
pro-life speakers in America.


Unplanned was directed by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon and had outstanding performances by Ashley Bratcher as Abby and Robia Scott as Cheryl, a few surprising cameos, and other talented actors (including my friends Todd Terry and Stacey Bradshaw). Many were shocked when it's successful opening weekend landed it in 4th place overall. This has led to more theaters bringing it in this week! I thought Unplanned did well in presenting Abby Johnson's story and how her views on abortion were changed. I have always been pro-life, even before Roe vs Wade, so I admit to some bias when it comes to abortion. This film actually gave me a deeper understanding of the motives of some of the workers in the abortion industry who genuinely believe they are doing a service for women, and even the babies. I still disagree with what they do but am willing to concede that some are well-intentioned. 

The story was well told, and while some scenes were graphic, abortion is not a neat, tidy procedure... nor is it an unemotional one for most women. These are living humans who are being destroyed before they have the chance to draw their first breath. The very first scene, which was the catalyst for Johnson leaving Planned Parenthood, makes a powerful impact that still lingers in my mind... even knowing that it is CGI. And, I do have friends who faint at the sight of blood, but scenes that include blood are not put in the film for shock; these scenes accurately portray what sometimes happens. Of course, there are also scenes that hit hard on an emotional level. I rarely cry at a theater, but one, in particular, had tears running down my face.

My hope is that many will see the film, no matter their personal views, just to see this side of the story. It's hard to make an informed intelligent decision if you close your eyes to certain aspects. If you support abortion, I hope the film causes you to reconsider; if your view remains unchanged, I hope you at least have a greater understanding of the views of those who believe the unborn child has value. I highly recommend this film for adults and sexually active teens.


Go see this movie! 
For more information:
UnplannedFilm.com

Unplanned on IMDb 
Unplanned on Facebook 
Follow @UnplannedMovie on Twitter 
UnplannedMovie on Instagram 
Resources
AbbyJohnson.org 
40 Days For Life 


1 comment:

Sharon W said...

We just got back from seeing the movie. You expressed it very well. They did a wonderful job of creating sympathetic characters on both sides.