Movie review: Life Happens

“It’s not a Christian or a Jewish or a Muslim or a Buddhist issue… it’s common sense.” So says Gary Graham in the trailer (above) for Life Happens, a documentary focused on people who were at risk for abortion. The film’s description promises that director Ash Greyson “skillfully replaces rhetoric and religion with hope and heart.”

We at SPL were unenthusiastic about 180 Movie, so I was eager to see a pro-life film that took an explicitly secular approach.  But I was skeptical that such a film would be produced by the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), a conservative Christian legal group.

My doubts soon vanished. Greyson has created a must-watch film.

Life Happens opens with a short, accessible, and useful history of the abortion conflict in the United States. The film’s coverage of the question of when human life begins is also excellent, with numerous expert interviews. But the heart of the film consists of personal stories.

These personal stories are not all rainbows and unicorns. Greyson does not only interview successful musicians and athletes; he gives equal time to teen moms whose parents threatened to kick them out of the house, families affected by rape, children born into poverty, and mothers who faced medical problems during pregnancy. The film does not shy away from hard narratives. That is what makes Life Happens unique, and perfect for an undecided audience of any religious makeup.

You can download Life Happens for $2.99 here.