The 2022 movie “Lifemark” featuring Kirk Cameron tells the story of a teenage boy who grapples with being adopted after his birth mother reaches out to him. A pro-adoption movie starring Kirk Cameron has become a surprise international hit on Netflix, but it’s not available on the streaming platform in the U.S., a split that may have its roots in the fraught abortion debate.
The movie was shot in 2021 in Columbus, Georgia, but its release was delayed by the pandemic theater closures until shortly after the high court’s ruling in 2022, when the uproar over abortion access was at its peak. The “hot topic” would be the pro-life angle: The movie includes a flashback about how the pregnant 18-year-old birth mother first goes to an abortion facility, but changes her mind and opts to put her newborn up for adoption.