After Tiller

Director: Martha Shane and Lana Wilson
Year Released: 2013
Rating: 2.0

Carefully-controlled look at four abortion doctors who perform third-trimester procedures (which are only legal in nine states) following the tradition of the late Dr. George Tiller (who was murdered by anti-abortion activists). The issue with the documentary is that while it tries to make valid points - that third-trimester abortions are very rare but for certain women (and their unborn children) necessary ... and no woman actually wants an abortion (we need to trust women and their decisions) - it is in no way going to sway the fanatical opposition to understand some of the reasons why women choose to go through with it so late in their term. Shane and Wilson present (with participants left anonymous) compelling (if suspiciously whitewashed) interviews between the doctors and the pregnant mothers making a painful life choice, and while questions (for many) remain as to why they didn't make the decision to abort within the first trimester, one can only hope it's for a very valid reason (for example, the child has something wrong with it that would make life painful) ... though there are no easy answers.