Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer (2018)

A movie about the horrific crimes and trial of Kermit Gosnell, America's biggest serial killer.

Director:

Nick Searcy

Writers:

Andrew Klavan (screenplay by), Ann McElhinney (screenplay by)

Stars:

Janine Turner, Dean Cain, Michael Beach

Cast

Credited cast:
Janine Turner	...	Dr. North
Dean Cain	...	Detective James Wood
Michael Beach	...	DA Dan Molinari
Nick Searcy	...	Mike Cohan
Sarah Jane Morris	...	Alexis 'Lexy' McGuire
Cyrina Fiallo	...	Molly Mullaney
Earl Billings	...	Kermit Gosnell
JR Hatchett	...	Tactical Officer
Leesa Neidel	...	Joan Wood
Darryl Cox	...	Dr. Ray Morris
Damon Carney	...	Ed McGuire
Grace Montie	...	Nancy Childs
Eleanor T. Threatt	...	Judge Eleanor Stanley
Stephen Goodman	...	Officer #2
Paige Kriet	...	Courtroom Observer

Storyline

This police/court room drama is based on actual information on Dr. Kermit Gosnell (played by Earl Billings) who for decades ran a Philadelphia inner-city abortion clinic. In 2010, Philadelphia Police Detectives Wood (Dean Cain) and Stark (Alfonzo Rachel), with DEA and FBI agents, raid the clinic for evidence of illegal prescription drug sales. They are shocked by the clinic's filthy conditions, bags of aborted fetuses in hallways, and fetal body parts stored in a refrigerator. Interviewing clinic workers, they learn: patients are given anesthesia by untrained assistants; one patient died on the operating table from an anesthesia overdose; abortions were performed on babies older than 24 weeks; and some babies were delivered alive, after which Dr. Gosnell cut their spinal cord with scissors. The detectives take the bagged bodies to the coroner and bring the situation to the attention of DA Dan Molinari (Michael Beach). An Assistant DA (Sara Jane Morris) agrees to prosecute the murder ...

---

Plot Keywords:

abortion clinic | serial killer | trial | abortion | aborted fetus | 

---

Taglines:

He took an oath to protect life, not take it.

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content including disturbing images and descriptions

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 October 2018 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer

Filming Locations:

Oklahoma, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,162,988, 14 October 2018, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$3,679,893, 17 December 2018

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hat Tip Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Detective James Wood described the raid on Gosnell's clinic, including such surrealistic moments as Gosnell casually feeding his pet turtles as three different law enforcement agencies search the place, as "our entrance into 'The Twilight Zone.'"

---

Goofs

The end credits have a blurred-out image of the real Detective "Woody" Woods, undercover narcotics officer. The DVD special features interviews include the real Detective Woods (and actor Dean Cain who plays him), and his face is not blurred.

---

Quotes

Keshawna: Look, most of the pharmacists, you know, they legit. You can't be going in there with the same names on the scripts all the time. So Dr. Gosnell, he has us pay 50 bucks to junkies for their IDs and has us write the scripts for them.
DEA Agent Sam Frye: Is he the only doctor writing the scripts?
Keshawna: He the only doctor there. They got girls who haven't been to high school doing the procedures.
FBI Agent: The procedures?
Keshawna: Yeah, the abortions.

---

Crazy Credits

During the credits, photos are displayed showing the real Kermit Gosnell and Karnamaya Mongar, photos taken by law enforcement inside Gosnell's clinic and house, two of the turtles removed from the clinic, and video of Gosnell playing classical music on the piano while the police were searching his house.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Andrew Klavan Show: Our Fauxchahontas Media (2018)

User Reviews

not preachy, just the facts

I saw the "Gosnell" movie today It is very well done, well-acted, well-written, not preachy but truthful, powerful and suspenseful --- highly recommended for all people with open minds.

Nick Searcy was intense and formidable as the defense lawyer opposing the Assistant DA, a mother of five, played by Sarah Jane Morris, who was strong, passionate, and appealingly vulnerable. Dean Cain and Alfonzo Rachel were believable as the cops who set the investigation into motion (albeit a tad clichéd). Janine Turner had a brief appearance as Dr. North, an abortionist undergoing a gradual awakening to her own complicity as a witness at the trial. Earl Billings was totally creepy as the baby killer, Gosnell.

I thought it would be hard to watch this film, considering the subject matter, but it actually was quite riveting and not overdone.