An Affirmative Act | Film review

Only telenovelas are more contrived than this ridiculous, made-for-TV-style movie about a New Jersey lesbian couple arrested on charges of marrying and posing as husband and wife in order to secure the easy adoption of their baby and obtain benefits denied to same-sex couples by the federal government. What could’ve been a compelling courtroom drama about the real effects of marriage inequality for gay couples is turned into a ludicrous thriller that involves a corrupt governor, a shadowy Klansman and a good-hearted lawyer whose manner wouldn’t seem out of place on Jersey Shore. It’s amazing that this straight-to-DVD-caliber movie is getting a theatrical release; it’s an insult to gay-rights advocates and moviegoers everywhere.