Moment of Truth: A Child Too Many

I absolutely loved this movie. The only thing I didn't quite understand was the conception process. I know that Bill's sperm was used, but is Patty the biological mother along with being the birth mom?? It seems quite strange because now a days in vitro fertilization is used more often.Since Bill's wife had a hysterectomy then that would mean that she would have no more eggs but they could have also purchased donated eggs, then used Bill's sperm, then implant the embryo into Patti. For me it seems quite strange that they would use Bill's sperm and Patti's egg to make a baby, that would mean that she is the biological mother, I don't understand how she could give up her baby even if it is not her husband's child.

This was an great movie, based on a true story. Patti Nowakowski is a loving mom with three children. She decides to become a surrogate for a couple who have one son, but can't have more children.

Patti is not at all concerned about being able to give up the baby, and the couple assures her they wouldn't have any trouble accepting a child with disabilties. When Patti finds out she is carrying twins, we find out that the couple DOES have a problem accepting a boy...they tell Patti they will only take the girl twin and the boy will be surrendered for adoption.

I thought it was very well acted. You really had to hate Stephen Macht who was willing to give away his flesh and blood (his sperm was used) because he was "too old" to be a father to a boy (some utter nonsense about not being able to play ball with him or something like that). Nancy Stafford portrayed the wife exactly as I would have imagined she really was...unable to stand up to her husband. Michelle Green was awesome as Patti, totally willing to honor her contract until she learned the baby boy was being tossed out like he was nothing.

In response to a viewer comment that the movie would have been better if Patti's husband had fought against her, well, maybe so, but maybe that's not how it actually happened. Maybe he was supportive of her.

This movie set itself up for drama drama drama and then... nothing. It had potential from the very beginning. The storyline was excellent, the actors seemed prepared for the worst, and then there was an unusually easy ending.

When Patty Nowakowski (Michele Greene) decides to help out a mother in need by becoming a surrogate, she and her husband are surprised by the couple they meet. Bill and Sharon Davis are rich, powerful, and already have a child. Their problem is that they want a girl- and ONLY a girl. They agree to take the baby no matter what defects the baby may have and sign a contract to "seal the deal." Patty becomes pregnant with twins (a boy and a girl). That's when Bill explains that Sharon has a life-threatening illness and she can only take the girl. Patty gives birth to the children and the Davis's only take the girl. The drama builds up big time and lasts up until the last 15 minutes..... and that's when everyone needs to just turn off their TVs because the rest of the movie is far too simple.

The acting is done excellently by all of the actors. Keep an eye out for the Davis's (Stephen Macht and Nancy Stafford) who are so versatile. You don't know whether to hate them or feel bad for them. While Patty and Aaron Nowakowski (Michele Greene and Conor O'Farrell) seem to make this difficult situation so easy. The story would've been much better had Aaron Nowakowski (O'Farrell) been fighting against his wife instead of with her.

When it comes to watching Lifetime movies, you automatically tend to expect drama revolving around women up until the very last minute, with a heavy climax to the story and a "Phew!! An unsettling sigh of relief!" Do not turn to this movie if that's what you're expecting. This movie is over 15 minutes before it actually ends. The only reason you'll watch until the ending is because you'll be waiting for something big to happen and be utterly disappointed. 4 out of 10 for everything up until the ending.

"A Child Too Many" is an excellent telemovie in the sense that it raises moral issues about surrogacy and the ways in which it can go wrong. While I will not give away the outcome, the conclusion of this movie does reflect the fact that no-one can emerge as a winner when the circumstances portrayed in this film come to light. Michele Green, Conor O'Farrell, Stephen Macht and Nancy Stafford are all excellent in their respective roles and they contribute to the success of this movie. The only real criticism of this movie is that it is just a little too syrupy for its own good in some parts