The Surrogate Movie Review

The movie “The Surrogate” was written and directed by Jeremy Hersh and produced by Jonathan Blitstein, Julie Christeas, and Taylor Hess. The film features Jasmine Batchelor, Chris Perfetti, Sullivan Jones, Brooke Bloom, Eboni Booth, William DeMeritt, Purva Bedi, Leon Addison Brown, Hannah Cabell, Hunter Canning, Catherine Curtin, Jennifer Damiano, Eric Gann, Meg Gibson, Brandon Micheal Hall, Sydney Alexis Hall, Layla Khoshnoudi, and Jennifer Lim. The film’s cinematographer was Mia Cioffi Henry, and the film’s editor was Cecilia Delgado.  

Plot 

The film’s protagonist is Jess, played by Jasmine Batchelor, an Ivy League graduate who works as a web designer in New York Click to look into! >> Read More... . Jess agrees to help her best friend Josh, played by Chris Perfetti, and his husband Aaron, played by Sullivan Jones, extend their family by being their surrogate. The pregnancy was successful and they are all overjoyed by the news. But after the twelve week prenatal test, when they are informed that the child has a chance of being born with Down syndrome, Josh and Aaron start getting cold feet. They were ready to have a child but were not ready to have a child with a disability; so, they suggest that Jess have the baby aborted. But Jess is unsure about such a grave decision and wants to research more before deciding such a delicate matter. The film follows Jess as she navigates her child’s future and makes an informed decision regarding it.  

Star Performance 

Jasmine Batchelor gives a raw and compelling performance, despite the fact that this is her acting debut. She perfectly portrays the pain and struggles of a parent who is given such grave news about their unborn child.

Analysis 

The film is powerful without being preachy. The film solely focuses on the characters and their struggles while they go through a very difficult period of their lives. 

What’s There?

• Spectacular performance by Jasmine Batchelor

• An emotional and touching storyline dealing with numerous societal issues such as disabilities, race, gender, abortion, and sexual orientation

What’s Not There?

• The film may be too emotionally heavy for some viewers

Verdict

The director focuses on the interactions between the characters, and the struggles they go through instead of taking a partisan and preachy approach with the film. The characters are well-written and the performances are spectacular. So, the film would be a good watch for drama enthusiasts.