Blood Brother

The best film in years that I have seen. This is a documentary but the director has created what I consider a paradigm shift similar to Ken Burns' work with Civil War series with his amazing use of graphics and cartoons and with his informal style of interviewing people. Rocky is brutally honest and vulnerable in this film and anyone who sees it will be moved by his humanity and courage. He is the real deal. A lot of people aspire to do volunteer work that makes a difference for people in foreign lands. Rocky delivers. You will fall in love with the children and the people of India in the film - but it is not sugar coated. There is no whitewashing. He is truly a modern warrior for these angelic but tough minded kids who are historically ignored and forgotten.

They say friends are the family they choose and Rocky Braat went all the way to a little village in India to find his "family". His heart and soul came alive as he saw how he could make a difference in a little orphanage that helped children and their mothers with HIV. This movie follows this remarkable tale of self discovery as filmmaker Steve Hoover chronicles the epiphany his best friend and "blood brother" has as he transitions from the big city of Pittsburg to the annals of India. A very moving movie that shows you that within suffering, there are glimmers of happiness and hope. I saw this film as part of the Atlanta Film Festival and was deeply move by the spiritual message of discovering one's path and being true to yourself.

Blood Brother is a beautiful and compelling story that takes the audience on an emotionally complex journey with Rocky Braat, Steve Hoover, and HIV positive Indian orphans. What I loved most about this movie is that it demonstrates that true love gives a person the strength to do and endure things far beyond what that person could ever imagine that s/he could do and that even the most ordinary person has the capability of doing and being a part of something extraordinary. One of the most poignant and hardest to watch scene was Rocky at the hospital taking care of the orphan near death. Rocky didn't just sit with the child, he acted as father and nurse staying by the child's side the entire time and cleaning up the oozing sores that covered his body including his eyes. Warning, this movie will leave you changed and will make you want to be a part of something outside of yourself.

It is excellent film. I believe with all of my heart that it is a must see film. Steve Hoover made this film about his best friend Rocky Braat, because he was impacted and felt this story needed to be told to others. I agree with Steve and I am grateful his was able to tell it. Rocky gave up everything he had here in the states and moved to India, to take care of orphaned children with HIV/Aids. I know Rocky and Steve, they are being totally real. I feel that this is very inspiring and leaves me wondering what could I do to make a difference in someone's life, like Rocky is making. It is about giving unconditional love to others without expecting something in return. It is about the challenges that life can bring and how one might react to those challenges. This story is ongoing and updates are posted to Youtube.

I was totally blown away. No excessive writeup is needed. It's powerful, authentic and raw. It's the best documentary I've seen because you just feel like you are right there with them. Just see it.

I must write more because IMDb won't accept my review without 10 lines of review, so you can ignore this part if you want. I wont' put any spoilers in either so you can be blown away by this movie like I was.

Films like this go to the theater and are ignored by the ordinary film goers, but they should not be. We should all see movies like this because it brings hope to our spirits. In this hopeless world, I cannot think of a better way to bring hope than to give your life to HIV orphans in a far off place.

Again I urge all of you - just see this movie.