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The Business of Being Born
The Business of Being Born Image
Metascore
68 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critics What's this?

User Score
6.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4 Ratings

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10 out of 10
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  • Summary: Birth is a miracle, a rite of passage, a natural part of life. But birth is also big business. Compelled to explore the subject after the delivery of her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to question the way American women have babies. Epstein gains access to several pregnant New York City women as they weigh their options. Some of these women are or will become clients of Cara Muhlhahn, a charismatic midwife who, between birth events, shares both memories and footage of her own birth experience. Footage of women having babies punctuates The Business of Being Born. Each experience is unique; all are equally beautiful and equally surprising. Giving birth is clearly the most physically challenging event these women have ever gone through, but it is also the most emotionally rewarding. Along the way, Epstein conducts interviews with a number of obstetricians, experts and advocates about the history, culture and economics of childbirth. The film’s fundamental question: should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potential medical emergency? As Epstein uncovers some surprising answers, her own pregnancy adds a very personal dimension to The Business of Being Born, a must-see movie for anyone even thinking about having a baby. (Red Envelope Entertainment)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Jack Mathews
    75
    Passionate, enlightening and unabashedly one-sided, Abby Epstein's documentary is not for everyone. But at the very least, it should be seen by every pregnant woman in America.
  2. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Tamara Straus
    75
    A powerful, frightening look at America's delivery room.
  3. Variety
    Reviewed by: Ronnie Scheib
    60
    Documentary seems best suited to cable: Lake's informal, Oprah-like concern invites the intimacy of home viewing. But the chick-chat approach in no way undermines the gravity of the problems the docu addresses.

See all 10 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 1 out of 2
  1. BiancaK
    9
    A movie everyone thinking of having a child or being an OB-GYN needs to see. We've become so lost at such a crucial time in our human race's longevity and successful prosperity. Everything depends on how well we come into this world and right now we're doing such a bad job. Shame on the US when it comes to how it handles childbirth! It's a very empowering movie for women. I especially like the fact the movie covers all sides of the matter and gives as honest a look into the matter as possible. Only downside is that it was too short. More information and talking to people, please! Also, the stats given seemed weak, even though they were trying to be powerful. Could have backed the stats up a bit better.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. ADoctor
    0
    Typical Michael Moore like biased melodrama thats afraid of both sides of the story. the American college of OB/GYN develops standard of care protocols for the management of pregnancy, labor and deliver. they are based on sound the scientific principles of research that is transparent, available to the public, and reproducible. in the US, hospitals and OB/GYN's they employ follow those protocols because it makes logical sense to believe in scientific fact. if you want to have your baby in any other setting, its completely legal to do so. Don't muck up the story with inaccuracies as done in this pathetic effort.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

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