Was Once a Hero

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.

I laughed, I cried, I wondered how the mule made out, but most of all, I was touched and I grew in empathy and understanding.

This movie at first watch was well written, well acted, very believable, heartbreaking at times, and had a pleasantly unpredictable story line.

At second watch I gained a greater insight into Alzheimer's and, through some amazing acting by Darby Hinton, found myself gaining a greater level of understanding and empathy for those struggling with the disease. An outstanding performance.

I love westerns, and this movie did the genre proud. Although the subtext of this movie could cross into other genres or times, I found the setting to be the perfect backdrop to the struggles of the main character as we don't often see cognitive struggles front and center in this era or genre.

Loved the characters (well, the "good guys", but all were very well acted). Mr. Hinton's character was lovable, humble, evoked empathy and respect, and brought wisps of humor amidst his heartbreaking cognitive struggles. Through the various struggles of the characters, I found there to be an underlying sense of peace throughout the movie. Not sure if I stand alone on this point, but to me it is a credit to the everyone involved, from the creators, to the production crew, to the actors. A well done production from start to finish.

The movie made me both laugh and cry and was a reminder of how precious life is and finding joy in the simple things. A life fully lived means deep and at times challenging relationships. Dan Searles wrote a masterpiece, and I didn't know I was a Darby Hinton fan, but I am now!

I was especially moved with the scene mid-movie set by the creek. There are no words being spoken, but a moving song is being sung by Dennis Jewett and his band Joshua Tree called " Hide from the Devil" which says it all!

The entire cast deserves a standing ovation - Eliza Kelley, Robert Carradine, John Carter Cash, and the jaw-dropping Rebecca Holden. If you don't know the name Julie Kashmanian, you should! She is poised to be the next BIG star!