Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Roe v. Wade

By Andrea Beach, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Mediocre drama is heavily biased, emotionally manipulative.

Movie PG-13 2021 112 minutes
Roe v. Wade Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Curlysue513
Curlysue513 Adult
April 27, 2021
age 14+

Highly recommend s

This topic is never easy to watch because so many do not value life of the unborn and we all know the end result is this.. but I do recommend the movie. It is well acted and dramatic depiction of this historical event.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
jangar79
jangar79 Adult
April 23, 2021
age 13+

The truth about the worst SCOTUS decision in the history of the US

This movie gives the facts, in dramatic fashion, about the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. It is told from the perspective of Dr. Bernard Nathanson, who performed over 70,000 abortions before admitting that he was taking human lives, converting to Catholicism and becoming pro-life. Those who would say it's not factual can go to the movie website and see the fact-checking. Mildred Jefferson, the first black woman to graduate from Harvard Medical School is a great example of a role model for women and people of color. Roe v. Wade exposes the lies that were told to push the abortion agenda and the outside pressures that lead the justices to make the worst decision in the history of the court.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

ROE V. WADE tells the story of Dr. Bernard Nathanson (Nick Loeb), who spent most of his career performing abortions in the mistaken belief that he was helping women who found themselves in impossible situations. He establishes a clinic in New York and builds a successful and lucrative career performing abortions. He becomes involved in the movement to legalize abortion throughout the United States, where he gains an insider's knowledge into exactly how those who shared his agenda helped put the controversial issue before the Supreme Court. But after an epiphany he finds he can longer deny the fact that fetuses are people, and begins working just as hard to argue publicly against abortion. Now he's using his insider's knowledge to tell the story of how a group of greedy, manipulative liars conspired to pressure the Supreme Court into its decision that abortion is protected by the Constitution and therefore legal throughout the United States.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Setting the controversy surrounding abortion aside would make this movie barely worth talking about. The script and acting in Roe v. Wade are so mediocre that there's nothing else to grab onto except the controversy, so the filmmakers don't hold back on that score. It shows its anti-abortion bias in so many emotionally and factually manipulative ways that there isn't space to catalog them all. The complete lack of substance drags the project down to an anti-abortion brow beating. Instead of promoting discussion and compromise, the film spends its time dividing the issue neatly into good versus evil, apparently more interested in fanning the flames of political division than anything else.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the filmmakers' bias in Roe v. Wade. How do they make their point of view obvious? Do they present opposite points of view, and if so, is it in the same way? Is this movie likely to change anyone's mind about abortion? Why or why not?

  • How much violence is OK in movies, TV, games, and other media? How does this movie use violence to influence viewers' emotions?

  • Talking about emotional and political issues can be difficult. Does this movie help promote reasonable discussion and finding common ground? Ask a librarian, educator, or other trusted adult for resources that promote open dialog that doesn't put anyone down for their views or feelings.

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate