'Father Soldier Son' Review: Shot over 10 years, this story of resilience makes us ask is war really worth it?
Spoilers for 'Father Soldier Son'
The award-winning New York Times documentary first aired on April 15, 2020, at the Tribeca Film Festival. It is a raw chronicle of a family that sees generational enlisting, sacrifice and grave injuries. After critically wounding his legs while in Afghanistan, Sgt First Class Brian Eisch comes home to loving young sons who see their father heal from a lot more than just a physical injury.
While many may see this as a story of an American family reeling from the acts of war, it feels more like a warning. Is war necessary? Journalists Catrin Einhorn and Leslye Davis's direction is commendable as the story hits home and the many shots and interviews bring tears. "I feel like in the military, yes, it's a great career, but it's not everything that it looked like," says one of Eischs' sons, and is probably the one thing that summarizes the documentary.
Over the course of 10 years, we see Joey and Issac Eisch grow from being young boys — who were left behind by their father who had to answer the call to service — to being young men who know about the struggles. The documentary seems to be a diary of this one American family that has seen the consequences of wars. "It was hard thinking he actually got shot by a real bullet from a real gun from a real person," said one of Sgt Brian's sons. "It kinda messed me up a little." The innocence and enthusiasm one has of pursuing a career in the military are lost quite quickly when one understands how things really work.
The documentary, needless to say, is emotionally gripping and it makes us question why do these heroes answer their call to duty? To serve and protect and fight a war on the frontlines? With what looks like real-time bullet casings flying around armed American soldiers, we wonder if all this is really worth it.
Sgt Brian, a single father, left his young sons and served a year of deployment in Afghanistan, and while he said he didn't want to come back changed, it seemed inevitable. As cliche as this sounds, the documentary gives many a dose of reality. It's a different thing to celebrate Fourth Of July or Veterans' Day and completely another thing to come to two young sons in a wheelchair. There is a newfound respect for the brave men and women who sacrifice their lives for their country, while they have families of their own.
What was most forward about the documentary was the way Sgt Brian's young sons spoke about their feelings without any reservations. It was alarming how much these young boys knew about life at such a tender age. "I got some mentally strong boys," Sgt Brian said. The story is of the family as a whole and the lens takes viewers behind their intimate moments of resilience. It's not just a story of the army and a soldier.
It's a birds-eye perspective of all members involved in a compelling story of love, grief, death and family. It's a narrative that asks all the important questions and gives all the important answers through the lens which shows more than just the consequences of war. It is a decade long tribute to a family that has experienced the struggles of life and has also healed with a purpose. It is an excellent documentary and one that many will relate to, making it such an important one.
'Father Soldier Son' is available to stream on Netflix now.