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March 10, 2009
" Brothers At War " Movie Trailer and Write Ups
This is a documentary that celebrates the courage and integrity of the American Soldier and the American military family. It is also a film about a man’s love and respect for his two brothers and his dedication to telling their story. A great film that I am proud to be a part of.” Gary Sinise, Actor, Presidential Citizens Medal Recipient
Brothers At War : by Jake Rademacher, sponsored by Gary Sinise and Jon Voight
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If Gary Sinise is involved, you can be assured it's a worthwhile project.
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“They deserve to see what our soldiers do, what the war is for and what it’s about for us as soldiers,” says Capt. Isaac Rademacher. “I’ve never seen anything that bears so much truth, and then just steps away.”
The film chronicles Jake’s two civilian deployments and four embeds with combat units around Iraq, including a weeklong stint with a reconnaissance unit monitoring the Syrian border, and with a group of Iraqi army soldiers as they are trained by U.S. Marines. Rademacher’s goal, he says, was to show the real war, without political bent or judgment — the daily grind, the heat and filth, the danger and, above all, the brotherhood.
“I think the film is really a film about brotherhood set against a backdrop of the war in Iraq,” Jake says. “I learn about what my brothers do through their brothers in arms.”
The filmmakers, including producer Gary Sinise, gathered Feb. 20 at a private screening in Washington, D.C., to talk about the film.
“It’s such a positive, positive portrait of our military families, the dedication of our troops have, what they’re doing over there, the love that a brother has for his two brothers,” Sinise says. “When they asked if I would actually get involved with the film, I was humbled and I was honored.”
A group of wounded warriors from Walter Reed Army Medical Center were also in attendance at the screening.
“This is probably the most accurate portrayal, besides the movie ‘Black Hawk Down,’ ” says Spc. Hien Tran of the 222nd Infantry, Fort Drum, N.Y. After being injured in Iraq, Tran says he avoids most war movies, but this one captures the realism of service better than most.
“I really thought the film was awesome,” says Pfc. Geraldo Badell, from the 230th Infantry in Fort Polk, La. “Since he missed his family so much, he wanted to go over there and see what his brothers were doing.”
“Brothers at War” begins with the emotional deployment of Isaac and ends with a similar departure by Joe. For the filmmaker, the space between attempts to answer the question: Why did my brothers go to war?
“I don’t know if I’ve earned a seat at the table with Joe,” he says as Joe boards a plane for Iraq in the film’s final frames. “But I do know that having walked a mile in my brothers’ shoes, I understand each of them better now.”
Brothers At War by Jake Rademacher (7 minute trailer this one has more in it then the trailer at the top)
"Brothers at War” is rated R for strong language. It opened in limited release March 13 in select cities near major military installations and will open in wider release March 27.
Documentary film
Director: Jake Rademacher
Cast: Jake Rademacher, Capt. Isaac Rademacher, Jenny Rademacher, Sgt. Joseph Rademacher, Danelle Fields
‘Brothers at War’: An Iraq Movie Worth Seeing
by Gabe Ledeen
"As a Marine veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, I care a great deal about how Americans perceive the war and those of us who served in it. It is no secret that Hollywood has exclusively produced films opposing the war, portraying us as criminals, mental-cases, victims, and simpletons. By and large these movies failed to attract audiences, even as they were praised by the anti-American European fraternities and their L.A. and New York groupies. The success of HBO’s “Taking Chance” demonstrates that Americans are in fact interested in the Iraq War, are willing to watch movies about it, and want to know more about those who fought against incredible odds and proved the naysayers wrong.
I was recently privileged to attend a pre-screening of a film that shows Americans exactly what we’ve been missing. “Brothers At War” dares to give viewers an honest and intimate look at a family that supports two brothers on the front lines, from the perspective of a sibling who decided not to serve in the military. Freshman filmmaker Jake Rademacher follows his brothers to Iraq to try and understand their commitment, and to see for himself what they experience when they deploy “over there” for so many months at a time. Throughout the film we witness the tensions between the brothers as they try to discover a way to communicate with each other despite the ideological divisions. There are moments of frustration, anger, and skepticism as they confront each other, and there are moments of love, tenderness, and genuine respect as they come to understand one another through these shared experiences.
Jake brings the audience into the most intimate of moments, and allows unscripted access into the hearts of his family members and the soldiers he encounters. While out on a five day surveillance/reconnaissance patrol along the Syrian border, Jake documents the close fraternity of the team members and artlessly conveys their human qualities to viewers who may never have met men like these. He interviews several of the young men, and their sincerity belies a trust that is not easy to acquire in such a short time. They trusted him simply because he was not out there to prove some archetype of the American soldier, he was there to let them speak for themselves.
Most Iraq veterans will applaud the range of scenes portrayed in the documentary, which doesn’t fall prey to the temptation to go heavy on the action and skimp on character development. He shows us life on a large forward operating base, a duration patrol in the scorching desert heat, a family reuniting at a Midwestern airport, a sniper mission in an Iraqi town, a partnered patrol with Marines and Iraqi soldiers, and more. Each time, and with each new cast of characters, he allows his subjects to paint their own portraits in brilliant detail. It is evident that Jake is learning as he is filming, and he is not ashamed to show his own development from an action-seeking yet naïve journalist to one humbled and keenly aware of the courage and dedication of our servicemen and women. As I heard him say to another journalist, “I learned who my brothers were from their brothers-in-arms.”
The film tells the story of the Rademacher family on both sides of the ocean and chronicles the experience without an agenda. “There really didn’t seem to be an overt message,” said one viewer after the screening. “It’s just the story, and one that most people don’t know and really need to see.” It is this honesty and obvious lack of spin that elevates this movie and allows the audience to relax from the hyper-vigilance required to filter today’s media offerings. There is no need to come to this movie with an understanding of the “Anbar Awakening,” or the “surge,” and there is no cause to leave feeling angry or tricked. It’s a movie about Americans and their families, about who our soldiers and Marines are, and about what it’s like for them to go to war. It’s a movie that you should see, and a story that you need to hear."
Below is the current release schedule.
To check for local listings
http://schedule.samuelgoldwynfilms.com/films/brothers+at+war/
3/13/2009
Columbus, GA (near Fort Benning), Carmike 15 - http://www.carmike.com/
Fayetteville, NC (near Fort Bragg), Carmike 12 - http://www.carmike.com/
Jacksonville, NC (near Camp LeJeune), Carmike 16 - http://www.carmike.com/
Chicago, IL AMC River East - AMC - http://www.amctheatres.com/
Washington DC Landmark E Street Cinema - Landmark Theatres - http://landmarktheatres.com/
Arlington, VA AMC Shirlington - AMC - http://www.amctheatres.com/
3/20/2009
Akron (Ohio National Guard), Regal Interstate Park 18 - Regal Cinemas - http://regalcinemas.com/
3/27/2009
Augusta, GA (near Fort Gordon, US Army)
Savannah, GA (near Fort Stewart, US Army), Coming Soon
Shreveport, LA (near Barksdale AFB, US Air Force) Cinemark Tinseltown 17 - http://www.cinemark.com/
Clarksville, TN (near Fort Campbell, US Army) Carmike Governor’s Square 10 - Carmike - http://www.carmike.com/
Hampton, VA (near Langley AFB, US Air Force), AMC Hampton Towne Center 24 - AMC - http://www.amctheatres.com/
Newport News, VA (near Fort Eustis, US Army), AMC Kiln Creek 20 - AMC - http://www.amctheatres.com/
Norfolk, VA (near Norfolk Naval Station, US Navy), Coming Soon
Killeen, TX (near Fort Hood), Hollywood Stadium 14 - Hollywood Theaters - http://gohollywood.com/
San Antonio, TX - Bijou at the Crossroads - Santikos - http://www.santikos.com/
Cleveland Heights (Ohio National Guard), Cedar Lee Cinema
Dayton (near Wright-Patterson AFB, US Air Force), Regal Hollywood 20-Fairfield Commons - Regal Cinemas - http://regalcinemas.com/
Decatur, IL Carmike Hickory Pointe 12 - Carmike - http://www.carmike.com/
Tacoma, WA (near Fort Lewis), Coming Soon
Oceanside, CA (near Camp Pendleton) Regal Oceanside 16 - http://regalcinemas.com/
Monterey, CA (near Presidio of Monterrey, DOD), Osio Cinema
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Wild Thing's comment........
I am really looking forward to seeing this. This film received an enthusiastic response from some local veterans and service members at a preview screening last week in Chicago. I love that Gary Sinise is an Exec. Producer of the film. I’m sure he was a big help in getting this film distributed. God bless him.
"I didn't see a pro-war or an anti-war message in here," said Jim Nalepa, a West Point graduate who lives in Hinsdale. "I saw pro-soldier."
......Thank you RAC for sending this to me.
RAC has a website that is awesome. 336th Assault Helicopter Company
13th Combat Aviation Battalion - 1st Aviation Brigade - Soc Trang, Republic of Vietnam
Posted by Wild Thing at March 10, 2009 06:55 AM
Comments
Thanks for posting about this documentary. It's so good to see more and more real stories of our troops coming out, instead of the anti-war propaganda so prevalent nowadays.
Now this is change I can hope for!!
What a great thing Jake did, not only for himself, but for his family and all the Military and their families. There are too many people in this country who have never even talked to a combat vet, or are even aware that they know one from past wars.
Posted by: yankeemom at March 10, 2009 08:59 AM
I saw the Huckabee show last Saturday. He had Lt. Dan on, Gary Sinise, and explained how he got involved with this movie. Which surprised me, I didn't know his reasons for his USO tours, his band and involvment with the Military. His reason was he didn't like the way the Service men were treated when they came home form Vietnam. This was his way to payback our troops for their service.
I thought this was great, one Hollywood type actually following through with his beliefs and living them.
Posted by: Mark at March 10, 2009 09:27 AM
Yankeemom, I agree so much.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 10, 2009 07:16 PM
Mark,fantastic, I am so glad. He had relatives that served in Vietnam and also other wars as well.
I wish with all my heart that more of the hollyweirdos would go all out for our troops. The troops would love to have them visit them if it was sincere.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 10, 2009 07:23 PM
Thanks. Sweetthing and I have not been to a movie in twenty plus years...but we may go see this one...or at least I may go see it...probably will have to go by myself
Posted by: GUYK at March 10, 2009 09:10 PM
Yes, the trailer certainly piques my interest. I bet this is a really good movie.
Posted by: TomR at March 11, 2009 12:34 AM
