Jack and I really liked this dramedy about a free-spirited woman who has an abortion and becomes a nanny to a precocious 6 year old. If that sounds simplistic, excuse me, because it is smart, funny, and poignant and has, so far won eight festival awards plus eight other nominations for director Alex Thompson and screenwriter Kelly O'Sullivan, both making feature debuts.
O'Sullivan also stars as Bridget and is no slouch in front of the camera. But then there's the delightful Ramona Edith Williams, who will be eight in May, upstaging everyone.
The nice indie-folk music by Quinn Tsan (Alex Babbitt is credited as assisting composer) can be streamed on Spotify (my account includes ads) or $11.99 on Apple Music, even with a full monthly subscription. For about 20 minutes of content. Hmph.
Rotten Tomatoes' critics love this, averaging 98%. The movie, though new, is streaming on several platforms right now. If you get email newsletters from your local art cinema, you may already have a link to rent this and have a portion of your fee benefit that theatre that has had to go dark in the current health crisis. Write me at babetteflix at gmail if you want the link that I used.
I'm inspired to add this letter from the writer/star:
When I got pregnant in my early thirties and knew immediately I would get an abortion, I had no idea what to expect. My mom got me the “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” pregnancy book one Christmas, hoping I would hurry up and give her a grandchild, but nobody proudly hands you a guidebook on what to expect with abortion.
I had no idea my abortion could be induced just with pills, and I had no idea how long my post-abortion bleeding would last. Women and girls are encouraged, outrightly or subliminally, to keep abortion, postpartum depression, periods, or any other innate part of womanhood that’s considered messy, “gross,” or shameful to ourselves. That makes for lonely, confusing, and isolating experiences. When my Mom finally learned what this movie was about, she said, “Well, you’re the first one in our whole family to get an abortion!” And I clarified, “Maybe I’m just the first person you know about.”
Saint Frances endeavors to normalize and destigmatize those parts of womanhood that we’re encouraged not to talk about. I wanted not only to talk about these subjects, but to show them onscreen unapologetically, realistically. This movie could be called “There Will Be Blood 2,” and a sense of humor is a vital intention of the film. Saint Frances tries to show that abortion doesn’t always have to equal trauma, periods shouldn’t equal shame, and postpartum depression shouldn’t equal isolation.
This story and these characters are filled with sincerity, empathy, humor and 6 tons of love. And there’s that healthy amount of blood.
Thank you for watching. I truly, truly hope you enjoy.
-Kelly O’Sullivan
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