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★★★★
Directed by: Jeremy Hersh
Written by: Jeremy Hersh
Starring: Jasmine Batchelor, Chris Perfetti, Sullivan Jones, Brooke Bloom, Brandon Micheal Hall
The Surrogate (2021) Film Review
Jess (Batchelor) is a young woman who has decided to be a surrogate mother for her friend Josh (Perfetti) and his husband Aaron (Jones). Things seem to be going great, then it is discovered that there is a very high possibility that the baby will be born with Down's syndrome. Concerned about the challenges involving raising a child with special needs and the required costs, Josh and Aaron ask Jess to have an abortion. However, at a community centre, Jess meets and befriends Bridget (Bloom), a mother whose son has Down's syndrome, learns more about children who live with that condition and begins to consider keeping the baby and raising it herself.
Hersh's feature film debut is a drama that deals with surrogacy, self-discovery, motherhood, friendship, family and making the right decisions. It also provides an insight into the lives of people with Down's syndrome.
The focus of the narrative is Jess, and the audience observes as she struggles to deal with her situation, while at the same time working as a social media manager. Her life gets complicated and her relationship with Josh and Aaron becomes unsteady and confrontational. She desperately attempts to keep things in order and move on with her life, while turning to her boyfriend and family for comfort. It is interesting watching her as she copes and contemplates what the future holds for her.
Batchelor leads the film well as an optimistic, cheerful, hard-working person, who is willing to help others and do the right thing. She goes through significant character development and Batchelor portrays that very effectively. Perfetti, Bloom and Jones also deliver great performances.
Regarding the score, there is none, instead, spoken words make up the atmosphere.
This feature is an emotional story, filled with plenty of drama and offers a thought-provoking experience. It depicts a woman who has found herself in a situation where she has to face very difficult dilemmas. The well-written screenplay contains an intriguing plot and will keep the viewer wondering how things are going to turn out.
The Surrogate will be releasing in UK cinemas from July 9th 2021
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