Educational Media Reviews Online

Five men and one chair set against a stark, white backdrop – simple ingredients that might prove boring, or even pretentious, in a different film. In the deft hands of director Coline Grando, however, these elements make for a fascinating documentary. A Man’s Place allows viewers to witness five men talking candidly about the experience of an unplanned pregnancy.

With only occasional interjections or follow-up questions (off-camera) by Grando, the men’s stories unfold in a series of interwoven narratives that are remarkably frank. In spite of this frankness, however, nonverbal cues let the viewer know that each man is well aware they are talking to a woman (who may or may not be sympathetic to their stories) about pregnancy and abortion. In these stories, viewers see nuanced responses that demonstrate issues of relational complexity, control, selfishness, and varying degrees of growth. Grando doesn’t shy away from silence, using it quite effectively to give the men the space they need to tell their stories. The end result, which strengthens the film’s impact, is that the men reveal more about their experiences than we might otherwise have seen if Grando were less restrained in her interviewing technique.

As one of the men says, “There’s always an after,” and A Man’s Place provides five examples of what both “during” and “after” can look like for men in this scenario. Most documentaries about unplanned pregnancy and abortion focus on women’s experiences (and rightfully so), which makes A Man’s Place a unique addition for libraries looking to expand their offerings on this topic. An appropriate selection by academic libraries to support courses in human sexuality/sex education, gender studies, family studies, ethics, and psychology, A Man’s Place is equally appropriate for public library collections.