Call Jane

In the summer of 1968, Chicago pulses with the roar of protests, the clash of ideals, and a city‑wide conversation about who gets to decide what bodies belong to. The streets outside the Democratic National Convention echo with chants, while inside tidy suburban neighborhoods the quiet hum of domestic life masks a different kind of urgency. The film captures this volatile backdrop with a blend of period detail and a lingering, almost electric tension, reminding the viewer that personal freedom and public dissent are inseparable in this era.

At the heart of the story is Joy, a conventional housewife whose life has been defined by routine, family, and the expectations of a post‑war America. When a dangerous complication threatens her pregnancy, she confronts a medical establishment that is as patriarchal as it is inflexible, leaving her yearning for agency over her own body. Her husband Will and teenage daughter Charlotte orbit her world, each representing familiar anchors and, at times, the very constraints she seeks to outgrow. Their relationships are rendered with a quiet intimacy that feels both timeless and sharply specific to the 1960s.

Amid the city’s undercurrents, Joy encounters a discreet network of women who have forged their own means of care. The enigmatic founder, Virginia, and the steadfast ally Gwen run a clandestine operation that offers a safer alternative to the dangerous, illegal options that lurk in the shadows. Their collective exudes a quiet defiance, blending compassion with quiet rebellion, and offers Joy a glimpse of a community that values bodily autonomy above societal convention. The tone remains hopeful yet grounded, hinting at the transformative power of solidarity without spelling out the outcomes.

As Joy teeters between the expectations of her marriage, the protective instincts toward her daughter, and the growing realization that her own choices could ripple far beyond her kitchen table, the film asks what it means to claim ownership of one’s body in a world that seeks to dictate it. The atmosphere is thick with anticipation, and the audience is left to wonder how far a single act of courage can travel in a city on the brink of change.

Last Updated: August 09, 2025 at 21:09