The Janes is a 2022 American documentary film. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2022, and was released on HBO Max on June 8, the month after a leaked draft opinion for Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization was released, starting protests across the United States.[1][2] The film was directed by Emma Pildes and Tia Lessin.
| The Janes | |
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| Directed by |
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| Produced by |
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| Distributed by | HBO Max |
Release date |
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Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Summary
editThe Janes tells the story of members of the Jane Collective, a group of women who performed approximately 11,000 abortions in Chicago between 1968 and Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion in 1973. The film features interviews from several members of the collective.[3]
Reception
editOn Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 100% based on 66 reviews and an average rating of 8.1/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Frighteningly timely and powerfully persuasive, The Janes offers a unique opportunity to look back at a pivotal chapter in American history through the eyes of those who helped define it."[4] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 81 out of 100 based on 18 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[5]
Judy Berman of Time called the film "essential viewing for a post-Roe America".[6] Sophie Gilbert of The Atlantic commented that "the lesson from The Janes is that, in the absence of justice and political power, there's enormous potential for collective action."[7] Mark Kennedy of the Associated Press rated the film 3.5 stars out of 4, stating that "Lessin and Pildes do a masterful job of putting the Janes in historical context."[8] Doreen St. Félix of The New Yorker stated that "the palette is sober, and the filmmaking itself is recalcitrant, in service always of its tremendous story."[9]
The film was on the shortlist for the 95th Academy Awards.[10] It won an Emmy in the category of Best Documentary at the 44th News and Documentary Emmy Awards.[11]
References
edit- ^ Cooper, Carlie (June 10, 2022). "The True Story Behind HBO Max's "The Janes" Documentary". Oprah Daily. Archived from the original on July 7, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Lodge, Guy (January 25, 2022). "'The Janes' Review: A Stirring Documentary Account of the Trailblazing Underground Abortion Network". Variety. Archived from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Linden, Sheri (January 28, 2022). "'The Janes': Film Review | Sundance 2022". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ "The Janes". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ "The Janes". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ Berman, Judy (June 8, 2022). "'The Janes' Is Essential Viewing for a Post-Roe America". Time. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Gilbert, Sophie (June 30, 2022). "What a Story of 1970s Abortion Activism Can Teach Us Today". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Kennedy, Mark (June 7, 2022). "Review: Timely 'The Janes' doc looks at secret abortions". Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ St. Félix, Doreen (July 8, 2022). ""The Janes" and the Power of Pro-Abortion Imagery". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on March 2, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ "95TH OSCARS® SHORTLISTS IN 10 AWARD CATEGORIES ANNOUNCED". Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. July 8, 2022. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- ^ "'The Janes' Wins Best Documentary at the 44th Annual Documentary Emmy Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
