Saving Marriage (2006)

after seeing this documentary a couple times, i can say it has moved me differently and uniquely each time. from the joy and elation of winning the hard fought battle for marriage equality, to the sadness and despair of possibly losing it all, this film takes you on an emotional and powerful journey for one of the last civil rights issues of our time. the last two bastions of government-sanctioned homophobia in our country is one of the right to serve openly in the u.s. military and marriage equality. unless and until our government gets out of the marriage business and leaves it as it is: a civil contract/union (or adjusts the taxable rate under which homosexuals pay taxes), there will never be fairness and equality in our country. Massachusetts is but one battleground and saving marriage has captured it brilliantly.

This powerful and beautiful film succeeded on many fronts: the filmmakers provide the audience with a compelling cast of characters, complete with Heroes and Villains, whose lives are impacted in one fashion or another by the issue of Gay Marriage. They also do a nice job fashioning a clear plot for the audience to follow and become emotionally invested in (I was personally moved to tears a number of times during the film) and did a nice job building the drama around the key turning points for the bills under debate.Where I really think the film succeeds is in making all the people in the film real and three-dimensional, there wasn't a lot of jingoistic talking points being tossed around, just real human drama and real emotion in the discussion of the issues faced by gay men and women...and that will go a long way to softening the hearts and minds of the general public who really doesn't understand the issue (like the lobbyist says in the film...it plants little seeds that can eventually grow large enough to break down the walls in people's minds).It's easy when taking on a subject like this to show the opposition as cartoon characters and the film tries to show the other side and does a fairly decent job of balancing the argument by not making Gay Marriage opponents too over-the-top or making too much fun of them.

This film gave a detailed view of the history of the gay marriage issue in Massachusetts. It gives the viewer both sides of the story (though in truth the opponents of gay marriage border on self-parody) and allows the viewer to make up their own mind. The film opened my eyes to the difference between "marriage" and "civil unions". As a former supporter of the notion of civil unions I now realize that is simply a term of appeasement, not a term of equality. I emerged from viewing this film a more educated and compassionate person. It would be beneficial for people across the United States to be able to view this film and see the story behind the controversy for themselves. This film will impact anyone who sees it.

This movie is going to make the world wake up in so many ways. Excellent!!! Everybody should see it! I recommend with all my heart! The prejudice all over the world needs so much more of this kind of knowledge. Here in Brazil I hope it helps to start for sure the fight to assure everybody the same rights, cause we all have the same duties and it is not fair to have this mistake for homosexuals. One day in a near future some people will see how much we struggle to be equal in all matters. Looking back having this work done to help future generations how was hard and tough to change societies and rules created by human beings who use the name of God in vain. I hope tomorrow will be a better place for my son and grandsons. This movie is for the present and the future. Great Work!!! These are some words from a human being touched so deep by this piece of images putted together to make history come through and help to make everybody understand everybody. Some dream! Uh! However, it can come through anytime we just need to want. As Jesus said everyone should love your brothers and sisters cause we all are! Truly yours, Lucy from Brazil