Being Dad: Inspiration & Information for Dads To Be

Being Dad is a touching and often funny documentary about pregnancy as seen from the perspective of a father-to-be. Director Leslie Marsh and producer Troy Jones build their film around Jones' nine-month journey to parenthood, gathering together dozens of dads in various cities to talk honestly amongst themselves about their partners' pregnancies. As informative as it is entertaining, this well-organized program features testimony from men who never expected to want to hold a baby until their own child was placed in their arms and they found the experience life-changing. The wide range of topics covered include food cravings, morning sickness, weight gain (universal advice for men: don't mention it), family finances, miscarriages and other complications, the first ultrasound and first kick, sex in the third trimester (a rush of hormones makes many moms-to-be amorous), and the impact of fatherhood on friendships, as well as lots of information on labor and delivery. The story of Jones and his wife makes for a fine narrative armature on which to build this excellent program for would-be fathers, which deftly interweaves commentary by experienced dads and childbirth experts. DVD extras include extended interviews. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (T. Keogh)