Citizen Ruth (1996)***

Seen on 10-9-2009 - Star Movies
Cast: Laura Dern (Ruth Stoopes)
Dir. : Alexander Payne (Oscar for Best Screenplay for Sideways)
--The word "citizen" defines the bias of the film in that the criminal young woman here becomes citizen exercising freedom of her choice. As IMDB Tagline aptly put it, "Life, liberty, money, pursuit of happiness. She's got to have it..."
--This is an explicitly issue-based movie and the issue is abortion. The two warring groups here are the anti-abortionists, or baby savers as they call themselves, and the other pro-choice abortionists.
Both the groups are fanatically committed to their belief and are at loggerheads stymieing each other's moves.
Caught in the cross-fire is a poor, homeless young girl who has a criminal record and is pregnant to boot. She has nowhere to go and the police who have caught her in a crime have threatened to throw her in jail if she is doesn't opt abortion. In this situation her bail is paid by Jesus swearing anti-abortionists (here you have a memorable scenes exposing the hypocritical ways of the devout believers) and she is persuaded to keep the baby. But the opposite sect somehow manage to bring her out of their clutches and arranges an appointment with doctor for abortion. While she is awaiting. The leaders of both groups descend on their helicopters and the confronting groups tempt her with a fat reward (of a princely sum of $15000) if she toes their line. Under tremendous pressure she takes money from one group (the abortionists) and makes good her escape without getting the abortion rather than side with babysavers underlining that she makes her own choice without reference to either.
The movie is good although in summing it up its living experience is completely denatured.
It should be noted that the tone and attitude of the movie is to mock the fanatic Christians by even exposing their hypocrisy.

IMDB Summary:
"Ruth Stoops is a poor indigent drug-user (a huffer - inhaling glue and paint for a high) whose down and out existence is complicated once more by becoming pregnant (she has had and lost four children already). When a judge orders that she gets an abortion or face a felony charge, she is befriended by Gail Stoney, a pro-lifer whose husband is president of the local "Babysavers" group. Suddenly Ruth is thrust into the middle of the pro-choice/pro-life struggle, with each side wanting her to take their side as a "message" to others - and the situation escalates... "