If you think the politics of pregnancy end with abortion, think again. Though 99% of U.S. births take place in hospitals, the producers of this polemic documentary spend most of their time showing the joys of home births and the delights of an urban birthing center, contrasted to a rushed Philadelphia hospital, where insidious lab-coated docs appear more concerned with high-tech interventions and lawsuits than women. The midwives and sole M.D. at the birthing center preach their loving support of patients, while the female doctor at the Philly hospital speaks ambivalently about the use of technology in hospital deliveries. Consultants credited here include Citizens for Midwifery, the Midwives Alliance of America, and the Maternity Center Association, which, not incidentally, are all politically-involved anti-hospital interest groups. Personally, as a pregnant woman, I resent being told my plan to have a hospital delivery is a sell-out to the patriarchy, rather than a decision I am smart enough to make on my own. As a librarian, I am concerned about political materials replacing straight-up medical information in maternity collections. Finally, as a reviewer, I trust you will have the sense to see this expensive, biased item for exactly what it is. Not recommended. Aud: P. (R. Reagan)
Born in the U.S.A.
(2000) 56 min. $195. Fanlight Productions. PPR. Color cover. Vol. 15, Issue 6
Born in the U.S.A.
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: