Call Jane (2022) Plot Summary & Ending Explained

In 1968 Chicago, Joy Griffin, a traditional housewife, is pregnant with a second child long after having a daughter, Charlotte, who is now a teenager and just experienced menstruation. Shortly after witnessing the 1968 Democratic National Convention protests, Joy begins experiencing bouts of fatigue, culminating in her passing out at her home. In the hospital, she and her husband Will learn that her pregnancy is causing her to have congestive heart failure, which will kill her unless she has her child before then, or has an abortion.

Joy and Will decide to petition the hospital’s all-male board for an abortion, only for them to unanimously refuse her request. In the wake of this, Joy becomes increasingly desperate over time. She eventually attempts a back alley abortion, but flakes out upon seeing the horrible conditions. Running outside, Joy finds an ad for the Jane Collective, a Chicago underground women's network that provides safer abortions. Joy schedules an appointment with them, and is escorted by a former patient named Gwen to a secret clinic outside of town. There, Joy successfully receives an abortion from a talented but misogynistic male gynecologist, Dean. While recuperating, she meets the collective's founder, Virginia. Upon returning home, Joy lies to Will and Charlotte about the circumstances and claims she had a miscarriage.

A few days later, Virginia calls Jane at her home and extorts her to escort a woman to the clinic after Gwen is struck with food poisoning, which she reluctantly does. Joy is mortified to discover the girl is a flippant teenager named Sandra, and the father is having an extramarital affair with her and also paying for the procedure. Virginia rebukes this, saying that no woman deserves to be judged, but rather helped. Joy eventually gets roped into becoming part of the collective, under the guise of going to art class, and befriends Virginia.

Joy begins assisting Dean with the procedure, as well as patients going through emotional stress. This results in her discovering that Dean is not actually a licensed medical professional, and has no degree. Meanwhile, friction grows over the high $600 charge that Dean requests for each abortion, particularly Gwen, as her fellow African Americans are disproportionately disadvantaged to pay the fee. While Virginia struggles to negotiate a new deal, Joy bribes Dean, agreeing to keep her mouth shut if Dean teaches her how to perform abortions, which he reluctantly does. Joy eventually lets slip Dean's situation while trying to convince Virginia of her capabilities; Virginia still refuses, as Dean is still more qualified, the money helps pay for the clinic, and a botched abortion is treated as a homicide.

Virginia's new deal with Dean allows for two free procedures, and she gives one of them for Joy to do, only for Joy to discover that it is Sandra. The procedure is a success, but Charlotte follows her to the clinic and discovers the truth. Despite this, Virginia agrees to trust Joy, and has her replace Dean. Things go smoothly for a while, but eventually, one of the procedures is botched, causing the patient to bleed after the fact. A series of events tips Joy off to a police detective, who arrives at the house. Joy is forced to admit the practice to him and Will when he declares he will send a fake patient there, but tricks him into thinking the fee is active. Will is initially furious, but reconciles with her afterwards.

Joy attempts to quit to keep a low profile, causing Virginia to come to her house and plead for her return. Discovering that hundreds of women are now on the waiting list, Charlotte encourages Joy to return. She eventually compromises by agreeing to stay for a while until she can show the rest of the women the procedure, and the collective agrees. Tens of thousands of women subsequently receive the procedure, and Will successfully defends the collective in court once they are exposed, ultimately leading to the legalization of abortion nationwide. The collective is subsequently disbanded, and a party is held in celebration.

In the final moments of "Call Jane," we see Joy, having become disillusioned with her involvement in the illegal abortion organization, decide to step back from active participation. Despite her personal struggles—her daughter Charlotte's protests and her own doubts—she still recognizes the importance of supporting women in need. Virginia offers her a tape of previous women who shared their stories, which moves Charlotte to see the depth of women's struggles and support her mother’s cause. Gradually, Joy plans to help women in a more limited but meaningful way, offering her knowledge to teach others how to safely perform abortions, without risking herself further. When authorities raid their clinic in 1973, they succeed in escaping legal trouble thanks to aid from Will, and it becomes clear that the organization has effectively shut down with the passing of the legal victory for abortion rights, likely referencing Roe v. Wade. The story ends with Joy and Virginia joking about tackling next the issue of equal pay, symbolizing hope and a shift towards broader women's rights. Although the film's focus on women's empowerment is somewhat surface-level, it underlines how crucial the fight for reproductive rights is, emphasizing that even in more progressive times, women’s autonomy over their bodies remains vulnerable. The ending leaves us with the sense that while progress has been made, the struggle for true equality and bodily autonomy endures, urging viewers to reflect on ongoing societal issues.