Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

Our Father

Play trailer 1:51 Poster for Our Father 2022 1h 37m Crime Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
80% Tomatometer 35 Reviews 62% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Jacoba Ballard was an only child, conceived via donor sperm, who always dreamed of having a brother or sister. An at-home DNA test led her to the discovery of not one but seven half-siblings -- a number that defied best practices in fertility medicine. As the group set out to learn more about their curious family tree, they soon discovered the sickening truth: Their parents' fertility doctor had been inseminating his patients with his own sperm -- without their knowledge or consent. As Ballard and her newfound siblings realized they've barely begun to untangle his dark web of deceit, their pursuit of justice lies at the heart of this profoundly unsettling story about an unimaginable breach of trust. At this time, Dr. Cline is one of the most prolific cases with 94 children and counting. Their fight to find justice leads to an unfortunate realization that there's very little protection or laws in place against fertility fraud. Dr. Cline is unfortunately one of many fertility doctors across the globe who has used his own sperm to inseminate women without their knowledge or consent. This revelation is also becoming more common with the recent rise in popularity of DNA testing. Laws have been passed in Texas and Indiana that make it illegal for a doctor to use his own sperm in insemination. Kentucky just passed a fertility fraud bill last week. However, it is not a federal law. Now there are 44 doctors known to have done this, and because of DNA testing, the time of these doctors getting away with this is hopefully coming to end. This is a story about someone who has done something horrible, but has no accountability. This is also a story of consent, of women not being given an option.
Watch on Netflix Stream Now

Where to Watch

Our Father

Critics Reviews

View All (35) Critics Reviews
Richard Roeper Chicago Sun-Times Director Lucie Jourdan paints a vividly disturbing picture of Cline, using his own words and actions against him, but wisely and compassionately makes “Our Father” as much about the victims... Rated: 3/4 May 14, 2022 Full Review John Anderson Wall Street Journal A horror story presented as too much of a horror movie. May 12, 2022 Full Review Nina Metz Chicago Tribune “Isn’t this terrible?” the documentary asks, while never digging much deeper. Rated: 2/4 May 12, 2022 Full Review Archi Sengupta LeisureByte.com Our Father is a sad, terrifying and cautionary tale about people and how abhorrent they can be. Rated: 4/5 Aug 19, 2024 Full Review Nuha Hassan Nuha Hassan The documentary does a great job at showing how much the half-siblings fought to get their voice heard and emphasising the evil nature of his actions. Sep 4, 2023 Full Review M.N. Miller Ready Steady Cut Equally enthralling, sickening, and astonishing, Our Father was made to no longer silence Dr. Cline’s victims. Rated: 4/5 Jan 2, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (41) audience reviews
Marcus E Insane man, and unbelievable what happened. His 'donor' daughter is so courageous. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/01/24 Full Review Lexus H THIS DOCUMENTARY WAS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY. WHAT THIS MAN DID WAS DISGUSTING. I'm GLAD THIS DOCUMENTARY WAS MADE, BECAUSE IT OPENS OUR MINDS AND SPREADS AWARENESS ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS THAT HAPPEN. THIS DEFINITELY IS POSSIBLY STILL HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD. AND It's SICKENING. THIS IS A MUST-WATCH DOCUMENTARY. DEFINITELY, ADD IT TO YOUR LIST OF THINGS TO WATCH. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/13/23 Full Review harley Withers Movie didn't dig deep enough into the true evil this man did felt like it was only scratching the surface. Also bounces around not letting some victims true feelings and events be explored to the fullest . Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review cathy c This Documentary was definitely disturbing. However, I believe the Family is Armed with a Realistic Force to Spread Awareness! No reason for anyone to say derogatory Statements against the Victims! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review alex v Depressing. Quick way to feel sad in 1hr37m. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Teri J So help me understand, a Dr. can lie about the sperm he's using, even to the point of NOT using the sperm a the SHOULD BE biological father that literally handed him his sperm BUT if you lie to the attorney general THEN THAT is a crime? Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/26/22 Full Review Read all reviews
Our Father

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Why Did You Kill Me? 70% 29% Why Did You Kill Me? Watchlist TRAILER for Why Did You Kill Me? Missing: The Lucie Blackman Case 86% 78% Missing: The Lucie Blackman Case Watchlist Searching for Amani % % Searching for Amani Watchlist The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring 83% 30% The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring Watchlist TRAILER for The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring Orgasm Inc.: The Story of OneTaste 83% 40% Orgasm Inc.: The Story of OneTaste Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Jacoba Ballard was an only child, conceived via donor sperm, who always dreamed of having a brother or sister. An at-home DNA test led her to the discovery of not one but seven half-siblings -- a number that defied best practices in fertility medicine. As the group set out to learn more about their curious family tree, they soon discovered the sickening truth: Their parents' fertility doctor had been inseminating his patients with his own sperm -- without their knowledge or consent. As Ballard and her newfound siblings realized they've barely begun to untangle his dark web of deceit, their pursuit of justice lies at the heart of this profoundly unsettling story about an unimaginable breach of trust. At this time, Dr. Cline is one of the most prolific cases with 94 children and counting. Their fight to find justice leads to an unfortunate realization that there's very little protection or laws in place against fertility fraud. Dr. Cline is unfortunately one of many fertility doctors across the globe who has used his own sperm to inseminate women without their knowledge or consent. This revelation is also becoming more common with the recent rise in popularity of DNA testing. Laws have been passed in Texas and Indiana that make it illegal for a doctor to use his own sperm in insemination. Kentucky just passed a fertility fraud bill last week. However, it is not a federal law. Now there are 44 doctors known to have done this, and because of DNA testing, the time of these doctors getting away with this is hopefully coming to end. This is a story about someone who has done something horrible, but has no accountability. This is also a story of consent, of women not being given an option.
Director
Lucie Jourdan
Producer
Jason Blum, Lucie Jourdan, Michael Petrella, Amanda Spain
Genre
Crime, Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
May 11, 2022
Runtime
1h 37m
Most Popular at Home Now