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And Baby Makes Two is a remarkable look at a group of women in their 30s and 40s who choose to become single moms. By the end of this hour-long documentary, you'll be amazed at how much you care about the women profiled, at how you're rooting for them to succeed in their quest for motherhood. Exploring their fears, disappointments, and triumphs, directors Judy Katz and Oren Rudavsky enter into their lives for a two-year period, filming everything from insemination attempts to the birth of a child (which is very briefly, but graphically, shown) to the welcoming of an adopted daughter. The documentary is highly focused--there's no information on what these women do professionally, how they pay for their procedures, or what their dating lives are like--concentrating solely on the act of getting pregnant and having the child.
First we meet Jan, who has been trying unsuccessfully for a year to become artificially inseminated. We also peek into the life of Debbie, who is a midwife and impregnated by a friend who wishes to remain nameless and out of their son's life. Tough decisions must be made along the way, as evidenced by April, who tells us that she discovered after an amnio that she had a Down's syndrome baby and decided to terminate the pregnancy. Katz and Rudavsky give a balanced look, with naysayers in the form of the women's parents, who express concerns about the children's lack of fathers, what the neighbors will say, and the difficulty of raising a child alone. But after spending some time with these women, you become convinced that they're going to make amazing parents, even if they have to go it alone. But then, they really aren't alone, as they are supported and comforted and cheered by each other. Whether you're male, female, childless or not, this heartwarming and wonderful film speaks to all of us. --Jenny Brown
