Cicatrizes da Guerra

This is a powerful, beautifully crafted and superbly acted film. I wept as did the friends sitting at my sides. Yet there was humor along with the tragedy expressed with so much depth of relationships, so genuine you felt you knew these people.

Appropriate in it's timing, with the subject matter of what happens to those who have fought for our country and are left to survive their ordeal. This is a film of our time and of the ages. One which should be seen by mothers and sons, fathers and daughters and especially those who irresponsibly choose to send our children off into wars for power or righteousness. Those who choose to spend more money on the latest, greatest new weapons and ignore the effects of the old ones.

The directorial debut by Gabrielle Savage Docketerman was masterful. Danny Glover and Linda Hamilton show true life chemistry and Oscar quality performances, all to be out shined by the young and very talented Zoe Weizenbaum.

I watched Missing In America at the screening in Bozeman, Montana. What a terrific movie! Hats off to everyone - especially Gabrielle Savage Dockterman! What an explosive piece for a first time try! And little Zoe Weizenbaum, for her first time acting in front of a camera. Obviously, these two are destined for great things.

I especially appreciate the sensitivity used by everyone involved in producing this film. It is a subject matter that has been discussed and portrayed readily, but never with so much passion, understanding, realism and class. The lack of heavy profanity and sex was so refreshing. Perhaps other producers will take note that exceptional films can be absent of smut. This is a must see for everyone, especially families! The subject matter is very timely with our involvement in Iraq. America deserves to have this film in the theaters to help us all understand the effects of ill-fought, misunderstood wars and to give us faith that even the hard-core victims of war can be reformed if they are given the right chance.

Attention to detail in this film was very impressive. All in all, I can't say enough good about it. Let's get it to the movie theaters!!!

The veteran Vietnam lieutenant Jake Neeley (Danny Glover) lives alone in a cabin in the woods and his only contact with the civilization is through the owner of a small store, Kate (Linda Hamilton), who periodically supplies his provisions. The solitary Jake helps other lonely veterans that live in the forest giving them part of his supplies and receiving wood in return. When Jake is visited by the former private of his platoon Henry R. Hocknell (David Strathairn), who has lung cancer, Henry asks him to raise his Vietnamese daughter Lenny Hocknell (Zoë Weizenbaum). The widow Henry has no family and he will be subjected to a severe treatment of cancer. The reluctant Jake says no, but Henry leaves his daughter and vanishes. Along his contact with the young girl, Jake improves his behavior until a tragedy happens.

"Missing in America" is a sad story about losses and consequences of a war in the life of the survivors. Danny Glover and the débutant Zoë Weizenbaum have great performances in this tragic film. It is very impressive also the memorial wall in Washington shown in the end of the film, with thousands of names of soldiers that died in Vietnam. Considering that this percentage is very small when comparing with the deaths of Vietnamese (see Obs.), and recalling the deaths of Americans and Iraqi in the recent invasion, I guess what would be necessary to make people live in peace in the world and stop killing each other. Each one of these names has a family that misses the loss of the beloved relative. This movie also shows that the aftermath of a war leaves deep scars even in the survivors, losers or winners. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Cicatrizes da Guerra" ("Scars of the War")

Obs: 1) "The Vietnam War cost the United States 58000 lives." (http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/modules/vietnam/index.cfm).

2) "Documents declassified by the Vietnamese government in 1995, revealed that 5.1 million people, died during the Hanoi's conflict with the United States. Four million civilians died in both the North and South. Total military casualties were put at 1.1 million and 600,000 wounded. Hanoi concealed the figures during the war to avoid demoralizing the population." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War).

I saw this film at the Woods Hole Film Festival in Falmouth MA. It is a first rate exploration of the long lasting damage from the Viet Nam war. This is the story of a Viet Nam vet living in the NW woods, isolated, alone and desirous of remaining so. One of the men from his troop shows up 30 years later, depositing his half-Vietnamese child and disrupting the vet's carefully orchestrated remove from the world. The child becomes, as expected, the catalyst for healing and renewal. So much for the conventional plot. What is unconventional is the depth of emotion, as well as honesty of the writing and the performances. This is a completely absorbing film that seduces and transfixes the audience with its strong but gentle sentiments. This should get a first run in theaters, and perhaps some nominations for writing, acting and cinematography. Danny Glover is perfect; Zoe Weizenbaum is a young woman to watch. An unforgettable film. Its images and story stay with you.

I was lucky enough to see the film at the Seattle International Film Festival(SIFF) on May 28, 2005. Danny Glover and the rest of the cast did a superb job portraying these wounded human beings. I think the time is right for a film to discuss the long-term effects on Veterans and their families. Just because a conflict is over doesn't mean that those people affected aren't still experiencing its horrors. The directing, cinematography and script along with the acting, in my opinion, makes this film worthy of a national viewing. Danny Glover, Linda Hamilton, and Ron Perlman's performances were believable and memorable. The young girl in the movie did a great job for her first film. Also, at SIFF the writers of the script stated that the characters in the film are based on real characters in the Northwest. While watching the film, I found some of the behaviors of the characters not realistic, such as dropping food off for people living in the wilderness; however, that information was stated to be true by the lead script writer. I hope that this film will get national distribution. There is definitely an audience for it.