Body of War
Closed CaptioningPhil Donahue
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Plot Summary
Paralyzed from the chest down after serving in Iraq for just one week, 25-year-old Tomas Young is forced to deal with the realities of war each and every day. For Tomas, learning to cope with his disability meant finding his voice to speak out against the war in Iraq. Directed by Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro and set to the haunting vocals of Eddie Vedder, the multi award-winning BODY OF WAR splits its time between Tomasís arduous daily reality in Kansas City, MO, and the legislative processes that led up to the invasion of Iraq in 2002. Senatorial speeches and a running tally of pro-war votes are interspliced with intimate footage of Tomas as he navigates through the acute physical and emotional impacts of his injury. A testament to the power of parallel images, the film adeptly juxtaposes the sanitized vantage point of Washington with raw personal experience. In the end, this contrast forces viewers to question the motives, methods, and ever-rising cost of the conflict in Iraq. A deeply moving and bracingly honest film, BODY OF WAR narrates a story of courage, conviction, and resistance that must be heard.
Rotten Tomatoes Movie Reviews
TOMATOMETER
77%- Reviews Counted: 43
- Fresh: 33
- Rotten: 10
- Average Rating: 6.8/10
Top Critics' Reviews
Rotten: Drenched in emotion and suffused with good intentions, Body of War is impossible not to like, but difficult to admire.
Fresh: Body of War makes no bones about its activism. Then again, like the others, it's the willingness to contextualize events and apply reason to them that makes it and others so valuable.
Fresh: Whatever you think of the film, Body of War stirs up real admiration for its subject.
Fresh: A chance to witness the struggles of a remarkable young man. Young may be paralyzed in the body, but his mind is fiercely alive.
Customer Reviews
Meeting Tomas
I had the pleasure of meeting Tomas briefly at Lollapalooza last year. When I met him and the woman(his wife?) that was with him, I knew right away that I was speaking with someone who had more strength than what could be contained under his fedora, or in that wheelchair. We spoke of simple pleasentries, nothing controversial or pressing. It wasn't until later that night, when Eddie Vedder brought him up onto stage and told of his story that I was awestruck. This documentary is very well done, with a soundtrack equally as brilliant. Tomas isn't the only one with this story, he speaks for thousands, and seeing as how he was prepared to die for you, the least you could do is listen to him with an open heart.
See it
Nice one Mr. Donahue- welcome back. God bless you Tommy.
Excellent
A must see for everyone.
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