'RELATED BY BIRTH': Three Stars (Out of Five)
Documentary on adoption comparing the stories and emotions involved between four Birthmothers, an Adoptee (the filmmaker) and his Adoptive Parents. It was directed by Gregg Grossman and consists entirely of interviews with him and the other six film participants. It only runs about 74 minutes long and there's not a lot to it (as far as film production values) but the emotions of the interviewees comes through and their stories are interesting. For what it is it's not a bad little documentary.
The interviews consist of Grossman (also known as Robert Wasserman, his birth name), Harvey and Shirley (his Adoptive Parents), and Agatha, Bonnie, Claudia and Shelley (Birthmothers). Agatha found out she was five months pregnant after falling down at a rock concert and being rushed to an ER, Claudia became pregnant through an affair with her boss, Shelley was a college student in Greenwhich Village during the 60's who became pregnant before Roe vs. Wade and Bonnie was a poor unexpected mother from a small town with out any help. Harvey and Shirley were a Jewish couple wanting a baby and unable to conceive one of their own and Robert was given up for adoption by his unmarried mother in the 60's, who lost all trace of him.
The film is just a series of cuts between the different interviews with no flashy methods of storytelling. It was obviously filmed on a very low budget and released straight to DVD and YouTube in it's entirety (for free viewing). As a quality film it's not really that impressive but it's still a great story (or set of them) and like I said the human emotions involved are definitely there. If you're interested in the subject or have any kind of experience with it it's probably worth your time for a viewing.
Watch our review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYO6EVQKyVs