Brothers in Arms (2003)

Director:

Paul Alexander

Writer:

Paul Alexander (writer)

Release Date:

21 October 2003 (USA)

Genre:

War

Plot:

John Kerry and his Mekong Delta Navy fastboat unit in Vietnam get together to relive their past and visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.

Plot Keywords:

Vietnam | Veteran | Navy | Washington D.C.

Cast

John Kerry

...

Himself

Directed by
Paul Alexander

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Paul Alexander		writer

Produced by
Paul Alexander	....	producer
Stanford Blum	....	executive producer
Joanna Plafsky	....	co-producer
Abe Shainberg	....	executive producer
Abe Shainberg	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Bacon

Cinematography by
Elisabeth Haviland James

Film Editing by
Elisabeth Haviland James

Production Management
Iris G. Rossi	....	production manager

Sound Department
John Cheshire	....	sound
Paul Furedi	....	sound mixer

Editorial Department
Christofer Wagner	....	symphony editor
Drew Ysais	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Charles Feldman	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Jennifer Monatlik	....	production assistant
Bonnie Rowan	....	archival research

Production Companies

• Cohort Productions Inc.
• The Franklin Group Ltd.

Distributors

• First Run Features (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• First Run Features (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Runtime:

USA:68 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Company:

Cohort Productions Inc.

He was only there for four months!!

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Using tons of news and documentary footage from Viet Nam, the producers have cobbled together a tepid story of a US Navy Swiftboat crew with LT(jg) John Kerry. It is narrated by several crew members, including Kerry. Most sound very credible and it is certain that they did their duty and served with distinction and honor. John Kerry however, who only served for four months, sounds contrived, rehearsed, as if he had been reading from script or at least an outline of buzzwords. The infamous story of how Kerry earned his Silver Star is covered in detail as if to confirm the campaign rhetoric of his 2004 run for President. Kerry himself has several anecdotes where he describes his service as if he had been through an entire tour across the Meykong Delta and into Cambodia. The truth is, he found a loophole to get out after only four months and never set foot into Cambodia. What leader worth his salt would leave his crew after only four months anyway? Say what you want about his three Purple Hearts, one of which he earned by shooting himself in the arm, but again, who leaves their troops after only four months? I look to the example of the officers and NCOs of today's military who, even after losing an arm or a leg, refuse to leave the combat zone or their buddies. Some have even served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. How do they stack up against Mr. Kerry? There is no comparison.