Going Upriver The Long War of John Kerry DVD with John Kerry (PG-13) +Movie Reviews +Used DVD available for Swap

Going Upriver, was entertaining, surprising, well directed,

Adrienne B. Kandel | Sacramento, CA USA | 10/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Last Friday I saw "Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry." I saw footage of things in Vietnam, including swiftboat battle footage, that I would have never understood. Same about the Vietnam vets first in the war and then against. I saw politicians delivering messages that have remained with us, and Nixon's "plumbers" watching the big Vietnam Vets Against the War demo from atop the White House. I heard entertaining excerpt's from Nixon's Watergate tapes, including the one where they retain Swift Boat Veterans for Lies leader John O'Neill to discredit Kerry. I heard Vietnam Vets describe how they lived the war, and heard Kerry wonder out loud in a letter about a Vietnamese fighter he had just shot. I saw Vets vote on whether to break the law by sleeping, and I heard them tell some of their stories. I saw some stunning photography in Vietnam, and some short, fuzzy, home movie clippings.

This is not an advertising film; it's a documentary - a personality study - by the man who wrote "Pumping Iron" about Arnold Schwarzeneggar. At the same time, it dispenses with the Swift Boat Veterans for Falsehood lies simply by talking to the folks who were in the boat with Kerry, whom he protected with personally painful and dangerous actions that really did earn him his medal. The mortality rate in those swift boats was 75% and up, but Kerry's crew members say his quick reactions kept them alive. You can't picture Kerry waiting dumbly 7 to 17 minutes while the Twin Towers are burning.

After going home, Young Kerry showed leadership and maturity as he organized Vietnam Vets Against the War, and helped fellow Vets overcome their trauma and anger to create a peaceful, articulate movement that helped bring the Vietnam War to an end.

I have never considered leadership qualities in choosing a candidate. That just changed."

A must see for this year's election

James L. Frank, Jr. | Atlanta GA | 10/09/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a swing voter and I anticipated that this movie would help me better understand John Kerry as a person and as a leader. It did both and much much more. Clearly, he is a brave and heroic man for having volunteered to serve his country during war and then to oppose it after returning home and listening to many other vets, that something was dramatically wrong with the U.S.'s position. With our 20/20 hindsight, we now know many things were wrong with the US's involvement in Vietnam but he had the courage and insight to see it then!!! as a 27 year old!!! He knew standing against the war would be a potential problem with his political aspirations and he did it anyway because he felt it was the right thing to do. If this doesn't stand in stark contrast to the draft dodging of the so-called leaders in the White House now, you obviously are someone who cannot face the facts.

Although born to a certain level of status, he served with men from all backgrounds and won their respect. He has certainly won my respect and my vote and I highly encourage people to see this movie to learn the context of Kerry's background and to watch an excellent documentary of a very difficult time in American History."

Took me right back

Margaret G. Mckelvie | St. Louis, MO | 10/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I thought I was going to see a narrow, but pro-Kerry view of John Kerry's service. What I got was much more and much better. I was reminded so vividly of the times, moral struggles, and strong feelings many of us had in the late 60's and especially early 70's. The friendships that were strained or ended because of differences over the VietNam war came back to me as I watched this incredible movie. The footage was amazing. The context was carefully laid out. The result is a thoroughly engaging movie. I came away with an admiration for the courage of John Kerry to speak out and awe at his articulateness at such a young age. One could not doubt his sincerity and commitment even if one did not agree with his decision to speak out against the Viet Nam war. The gentle, yet solid, way the filmmaker and editor pulled together years of events and many voices is what makes this documentary so much more convincing than Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. You should not feel afraid to invite your Republican friends to see this with you."

About More Than Kerry

Focaccina | New York, NY | 10/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have not seen the DVD but caught this film in a theatre in my city. I was much more impressed with it than I expected to be. I had thought it would be little more than a testimonial to Kerry, and, while there is certainly that element in it, the film's focus actually goes well beyond that. It presents a compelling portrait of the veterans who returned home from the Vietnam War in the early 1970's, particularly those who felt they had to speak out against it. This is the first documentary treatment I've seen of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War movement, and it's a poignant reminder of the complexity of the issues and emotions that were current at the time. We have tended to forget and oversimplify what these men went through, both during their tours of duty in the war and upon their return to the States. Whatever your feelings about the issues, this film is a serious effort to present those issues in their historical context. Also, from a purely technical standpoint, it is a well-made film."

A Thorough and Inspiring Documentary

Cynthia Clay | Seattle, WA USA | 10/02/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"From the opening sequence of this documentary, I was hooked. It is fascinating to see actual footage of the swift boats traveling upriver and hear the veterans' descriptions of their use in the Vietnam War. One compelling account of Kerry's leadership follows after another, told by men who actually served with him and effectively dispelling the lies about his war record. These stories are told by veterans in the present, reflecting on their horrific experiences while archival film and photographs are played on screen. After laying out the truth about Kerry's record, Butler then turns to Kerry's thoughtful and conscience-driven activities upon his return from Vietnam as the leader of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Kerry's clear, level-headed, and powerful testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as a young man of 27 truly captures the heroic and statesman-like characteristics that caused Nixon and Haldeman to compare him to the Kennedys. Using actual Oval Office recordings, Butler proves that John O'Neil was recruited orginally by the Nixon administration, fearful of the attention gained by the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, as one of their dirty tricks to counter the growing anti-war movement.

This unembellished documentary provokes a range of emotional responses. I felt horror at actual war footage as well as admiration for the 1,000 veterans who chose to challenge political leaders in the White House to end the war. In the final analysis, this film demonstrates why Kerry grew increasingly concerned with the United States' fighting of an unwinnable war that took the lives of 1.5 million civilians. It chronicles his moral awakening, his heroic decision to speak out and challenge the administration, and his desire to heal the divisions that threatened to tear the country apart. I couldn't help but feel that I was watching the spiritual birth of the next President of the United States."

Search - Going Upriver - The Long War of John Kerry on DVD

Movie Details

Similar Movies

Similarly Requested DVDs

Member Movie Reviews

Movie Reviews