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Operation Home-coming:
Writing the Wartime Experience
Directed by: Richard Robbins
Starring: Beau Bridges (Voice)
Genre:
Documentary
Run Time: 81
min.
Release Date:
February 2007
On The Web:
Unofficial Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
I think I’ve been socially
hardened by documentaries that don’t show all sides of a story, or
instill the documentary-makers’ opinions or images (see
SICKO) in place
of what should be being told.
So it is with a heavy sigh of relief that I wholeheartedly recommend
this Academy Award nominated documentary, OPERATION HOMECOMING: WRITING
THE WARTIME EXPERIENCE.
First let’s look at why this film is so successful. It’s fresh. Most war
writings are done by established or well-groomed writers, giving them
decent syntax, etc., but lacking that up-close and personal process that
goes along with firing weapons and being fired at during war. And this
is where Operation Homecoming succeeds. The writings are all firsthand
accountings from soldiers who’ve walked the walk and talked the talk.
Secondly is the unique filming. Each segment contains a different milieu
and a different style of filming. From animation to quick-flash
photography of those that’ve given their lives, the stories are told in
a highly interesting fashion that keeps the viewer very interested.
Thirdly is the internal conflict that so easily comes across. From the
beginning of the film when soldiers discuss their upbringing from
childhood and being told killing is wrong, to being thrown into a
situation where you’re trained to kill for “God and Country,” the film
watcher understands the conundrum these men and women are put into.
The final successful element is the men and women themselves and how
they deal with tough situations. There’s never the “Why am I here”
question asked. They know why they’re there. They don’t care about
policy or partisan politics or money or oil. They care about the guy to
their left and right who’s protecting their backside during a
fire-fight.
Each ‘chapter’ (if you will) contains a title and the story of a
soldier. From the grunts on the ground, to the medic flying the injured
to Germany, to the honor guard who sees the dead to their final resting
place, Operation Homecoming is truly a unique gem in the documentary
genre.
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Image from Operation
Homecoming
DVD cost: $19.99
Purchase:
BestPrices.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite?
Yes.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
The documenatry evolved
out of a National Endowment for the Arts project that gathered the
writing of soldiers and their families who have participated in the
conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Movie Quote: "There's
no reason the little guy can't tell the story."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Operation Homecoming
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