October Baby

19-year old Hannah’s parents have secrets. Things they’ve kept from her. Her adoption, the reason for her life-long health issues…why would they not tell her? Bewildered and angered, Hannah turns to Jason, her best friend since childhood. He helps her deal with growing resentment and confusion—and encourages her to join his group of friends on a Spring Break road trip. Together they embark on a journey to unearth Hannah’s past in Mobile, AL, the city where her biological mother may still reside. On her quest to find the truth, Hannah discovers much, much more.

October Baby is simply a superb film. The true-to-life characters have great depth, and Baby handles numerous sensitive issues with dignity and respect. The main character Hannah (Rachel Hendrix) is an abortion survivor, and Baby doesn’t shy away from the subject matter—and for some in the cast, the subject hits close to home (Shari Rigby, who plays Hannah’s biological mother, brought her real life experiences with abortion to the role). Hendrix as Hannah is amazing in her first feature film. She brings complexity, sympathy, and even touches of humor to her character, without appearing whiny or shallow. She’s a joy to watch.

John Schneider is fabulous as Hannah’s adoptive father, Jacob. His character is heavy-handed at times, but Schneider is able to keep the audience sympathetic, motivated by love, but still capable of bad choices. Rounding out this great cast is Jennifer Price as Hannah’s adoptive mother, and Jason as Hannah’s friend Jason.

First time feature directors (and brothers) Andrew and Jon Erwin do a fantastic job of navigating this story and subject matter. This is not a film so much about abortion, but about forgiveness and finding worth in spite of what life has handed you. Interspersed throughout Baby are many fine moments of humor: honest, authentic and never forced. For example, a scene where Hannah finds herself at an unfamiliar gospel church. The scene isn’t over-the-top, which it could’ve been, but played as an example of a good pastor doing his job well. Some scenes seemed unnecessary and added little to the story—but if this is the quality the Erwins are establishing with their first feature, it will be exciting to see where their talents take them in the future.

October Baby is rated PG13 because of the subject matter alone, with no elements of bad language, violence, or sex. In one scene a supporting character is bemoaning the effects of a hangover, but the message is clear that alcohol abuse is unwise, and he is now paying the price. October Baby is a film everyone 13 and older should see: faith-based filmmaking at its best.

Want more OCTOBER BABY?

Check out the October Baby:  Official Trailer

Don’t miss Co-Director Jon Erwin’s intimate video Jon Erwin Talks About October Baby.

And watch the video from the October Baby soundtrack:  Andrew Belle – Oh My Stars, Live

For more details about October Baby, check out the Christian Film Database.