After Tiller (2013) Reviews

• The best documentary I've ever seen.

  overand2013-12-09

  First and foremost: Don't confuse a review of this film with a review of the practices involved. (I've seen at least one negative review of this film that was clearly by someone who had not seen the film, but wished only to voice an opinion about the general subject matter). See this film. Pro-choice, pro-life, undecided? Doesn't matter. See this film. It will only help you to better the subject. This film is the best documentary I've seen. I don't mean just because the content is amazing, of course, but the quality of the portrayal is also almost shockingly good. A number of the filming techniques did an *extremely* effective job of letting us see insides the minds and hearts of both doctors *and* patients. In a topic as emotionally charged as what this film covers, it's easy to get caught up in the subject as "abstract." This film helps us to see the real impact and effects these people - and practices - have. It's not always pretty, and it can be very difficult to watch, but I feel significantly more connected to the whole subject now. Yes, the film leans in some ways toward "pro-choice," but it in fact makes some very clear points about just how difficult that choice is. I won't spoil it, but the most intense moment of the film for me happened right there. And the film doesn't vilify the pro-life people - they're ever-present, as in real life, but they are portrayed honestly as well. It's clear they are as passionate as the doctors. This is just, overall, a very brutally honest film. I had the good fortune to see this in a small theater, and one of the directors did a video-chat with the theater as a Q & A. That was a nice touch, but my 10/10 review was cinched the moment the film ended.

• moving and accurate portrayal of 4 physicians

  mpkurtz20092013-04-07

  I wanted to give this movie a 9 but I couldn't think of anything wrong with it, so I have to default to a 10. Saw it last night at Full Frame Film Festival. Nicely done, technically adept, holds your interest, and tells powerful stories about the four remaining doctors who perform late-term abortions in the US, following the murder of Dr. Tiller. You will hear and see interviews with patients, many of whom had planned pregnancies but found out on a late ultrasound that the baby had a defect incompatible with life or leading to a severely reduced quality of life (vegetative states, constant pain, and the like). You will hear interviews with young women who were raped and initially in denial of the pregnancy, then came to the painful decision to abort in the late second trimester. Should be required viewing for every legislative body across the country. Also for anti-abortion protesters, but that will never happen. Deserves showing on TV, hope it gets a PBS contract. I predict these young filmmakers have a brilliant future ahead of them.

• Anti-abortion zealots will not be happy with this incisive, educational documentary that explains sporadic necessity of late-term abortions

  Turfseer2014-02-04

  'After Tiller' takes its name from Dr. George Tiller, the pioneering physician who conducted third trimester abortions, and was murdered by an anti-abortion zealot in Wichita, Kansas in 2009. The documentary chronicles the four doctors who trained under him and now are the only physicians in the world who conduct this complicated procedure. The documentary begins chillingly with a 911 call from the scene (Dr. Tiller's church), where he was murdered. We then begin to meet the four physicians, all of whom to this day, face death threats. One of the physicians, Dr. LeRoy Carhart, defiantly informs us that he won't give into "terrorists." We see him ending up moving his clinic from Nebraska to Maryland after Nebraska passed a law that abortions could not be conducted after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Drs. Susan Robinson and Shelley Sella alternate at a clinic in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Robinson makes it clear that she won't and can't accept every case. Everything is done on a case by case basis; sometimes, a woman is too far along in the pregnancy or there isn't a compelling enough reason to say yes. Sella is circumspect: she admits that she's not aborting a 'fetus' but actually a baby, that is stillborn, and she struggles with that idea. Dr. Warren Hern practices out of Boulder, Colorado. The documentary highlights how his decision to do this kind of work, had for a long time left him lonely and taken a personal toll on his psyche. The continuing threats against him led to the breakup with his first wife and it was only much more recently, that he met another woman and got married. The value in 'After Tiller' is that it shows that there are very good reasons why late abortions are necessary. The most compelling reason revolves around women who find that their babies, due to fetal abnormalities, will be born with severe birth defects or only live for a short while, in great pain. There is also the case of women who are raped. It's quite understandable why women in this situation, would not want to give birth. During the film, women are interviewed (their faces are not shown), who find themselves in these harrowing positions. There are also cases where teenagers get pregnant and are unaware (or are in denial) about the pregnancy. They simply are not emotionally prepared to give birth or raise a child. Before any of the doctors agree to the abortion, they carefully make sure if this is what their patients want. They don't browbeat them into anything as pro-lifers have suggested. One can only feel contempt for a great majority of the anti-abortion zealots who are constantly harassing these professional practitioners. After all, women have the right to do what they want with their own bodies, especially when they're faced with the excruciating reality of raising an extremely handicapped child. Don't expect the anti-abortion crowd, these holier than thou hypocrites, to volunteer to raise severely handicapped children themselves for the rest of the child's life (some of whom grow to adulthood unable to speak or walk). The same goes for rape victims. And what of teenagers who aren't ready to have a baby? Is it right to insist that a teenager who is merely a child, to give birth, and then is unable to raise the child properly? Imagine the consequences to that child when they're either neglected, abused or even abandoned. All because a fanatical group insists on an abstract concept called the 'sanctity of life' without examining the reality of a woman's situation. Ultimately it is the lack of flexibility that drives the anti-abortion crowd. They're not interested in what's going on with women who are simply not in a position (or ready) to give birth. They expect everyone else to make extreme sacrifices but when push comes to shove, they would not make those sacrifices themselves. 'After Tiller' boldly does an excellent job, highlighting the professional job the four doctors do in conducting late trimester abortions. The more people see this film, they will have an understanding why in many cases, the late trimester abortion is a necessity, instrumental in saving women, from a future life of dread, that they have no desire to experience.

• Courageous doctors, courageous directors

  ifasmilecanhelp2013-05-21

  Having read about this very interesting documentary, I'll put a stone for it. I think it must take a lot of courage, especially in the USA, to make and practice anything that is not mostly well admitted/appreciated by the people or the law of the different states legalization, especially anything that helps freedom of personal decision or freedom of thinking. The reasons come from the fact that in USA, a lot of people who are "free thinkers" have unfortunately a big chance to fall under the bullet of any madman, or any big power/industry/political leaders rented shot man, whom they are against or interfering their "easy business". It comes also because to get any lethal weapon is just as easy as to buy bread ! USA is a democracy, that is correct, yes, but in many ways it's like it is not ! The pressure of television, churches and big lobbies is so strong, that in practice it almost annihilates the democratic system, many times, by the sideway... The democracy, obviously in itself is not the problem, but what it let allow, I mean put a blame on a big spot, because it makes sell news ! Political opponents and free thinkers are killed anywhere on this planet, that's true too, but for a democracy as is USA supposed to be, something goes wrong ! Apart that, my rating goes to the freedom of thinking, because I yet didn't see the documentary. I rated it, because quoting Martin Niemöller poem : "When the Nazis came for the communists, I did not say anything, I was not a Communist. When they imprisoned socialists I did not say anything, I was not a socialist. When they came for the trade unionists, I did not say anything, I was not a trade unionist. When they came for me there was no one left to protest." is the only way I can express my concerns about Freedom ! Therefore > courageous doctors and courageous directors :-)

• Very hard documentary to watch

  Westeire2013-09-28

  Even my friends pro-choice don't agree with this movie. Its actually hard for me to review this movie focusing just on this movie. It was shown in Ireland this week. The documentary-movie tries to bends peoples opinions that late term abortions are necessary. I see nothing noble about this movie, Children with disabilities should be given the chance and the support at life, let them have a voice, they are our children. Maybe we would be surprised at value of there contribution to life. I went to see the movie because one of the abortionists was speaking on Irish radio. Its impossible to come to terms how these procedures could be carried out. I suppose had they actually shown a late term abortion on the documentary people might have seen it for what it is. It really is sadly taking the life of a viable child. We can dress it up with music and soft words and spin it with this movie, but it is what it is. Sorry of this review seems very political or even extreme, I just felt very very uncomfortable with this documentary. We need to stand up for the reality before us, late term abortion is pretty horrific, euthanasia of the child because we think they would be better off out of the way. Sorry to IMDb for this review, but since the movie is posted here for review then I give mine,