Was Once a Hero

I got an advance copy to review for the theater booking and instantly fell in love with this movie! It really highlights the immense burden PTSD and Dementia can have on not only your loved ones, but yourself. The way the film portrays not only the disease, but the character underneath is excellent writing that you can tell came from the heart.

The visuals are absolutely stunning, and the wild west town of Old Bedford Village really becomes a character of its own right.

I cannot recommend this movie enough, and I can't wait to see and hear everyone's reactions to the movie! See it on the big screen while you can because this is a special movie that deserves it!

Solidly crafted story set in the 1890s concerns Civil War vet Darby Hinton and his struggles with war trauma and daily memory loss. Realizing he has become a burden to his family members, his attempt to leave only results in his becoming lost in the woods. There he encounters a young brother and sister on the run from a vengeful group of outlaws led by John Carter Cash. It's up to Hinton to rediscover his hidden heroic qualities ... Hinton is excellent in the part, delivering humor and eliciting sympathy in regard to his deteriorating mental plight. The supporting performances all deliver believable and three-dimensional characters. Director Michael Tuthill and screenwriter/producer Dan Searles (also one of Cash's bad guys) create some memorable moments of unpredictable tension. This deservedly won several awards at the Wild Bunch Film Festival. The only drawback is the modest budget, but it works within the framework of the story. The dense wooded settings are appropriately beautiful and geographically confusing per the storyline. Recommended.

High praise for a thoughtful movie about difficult subjects - an old man's failing memory, the aftermath of war, murder, and two children's fears of rape and torture. Ginny, Little Bit, and Malcolm become allies in their journey to safety and their struggles and escapes along the way.

Darby Hinton, Eliza Kelley, Julie Kasmanian, Noah Deavers, John Carter Cash, and Rebecca Holden give great performances. The musical score for this movie was very enjoyable!

Was Once A Hero will make you laugh, think, and make your eyes moist. Dan Searles and Paige Smith have written a must see movie! You will want to see it more than once.

I love westerns, and I'm a Darby Hinton fan. I also like the writings of Dan Searles, so I was looking forward to seeing Was Once A Hero last June.

The movie FAR exceeded my expectations.

So well written, and all the actors were superb in their roles.

The movie was, at various times, humorous, exciting, and touching.

Darby Hinton gives a heart wrenching performance that will bring tears to your eyes.

PTSD didn't have a name during the post civil war era, but it was there, as was dementia. You will fall in love with Darby's character and this movie.

Kudos also to Eliza Kelley, Robert Carradine, John Carter Cash, Dan Searles, and the beautiful Rebecca Holden.

But keep your eyes on a young actress by the name of Julie Kashmanian, she will be a star!

Kudos to Michael Tuthill, Dan Searles, and all who have had a part in the production of Was Once A Hero. The challenging and timely topics of progressive cognitive loss and the long term effects of wartime violence are addressed in a compassionate film of the Old West. A bold undertaking masterfully done with all the drama, excitement, and suspense that you expect from a good old fashioned Western, but dealing at the same time with the very same problems we confront today. The cast carries out this task with remarkable skill and sensitivity. This is an extraordinary movie that you will remember for as long as there are movies, and great Westerns.