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Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry (2004)
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Reviews Counted:81
Fresh:73
Rotten:8
Average Rating:7.3/10
Consensus: Interesting and revealing footage of both Kerry and the Vietnam era in general.
Rated: Not Rated
Genre: Musical & Performing Arts
Theatrical Release:Oct 1, 2004 Limited
Box Office: $480,752
Synopsis: GOING UPRIVER: THE LONG WAR OF JOHN KERRY is an extraordinary inside look at a politician, where he has come from, and how these roots have driven him forward in his public life. As a Vietnam war... GOING UPRIVER: THE LONG WAR OF JOHN KERRY is an extraordinary inside look at a politician, where he has come from, and how these roots have driven him forward in his public life. As a Vietnam war hero and subsequent activist, his story is a worthy subject for an important film about a defining era in America's past, and how it influenced a man and his dedication to the democratic process. This is, therefore, also the story of an American generation that came of age in the war-torn sixties, and has now come to prominence at the beginning of this century -- when issues of war, and their historical resonance for a new generation of leaders, hold center stage. Acclaimed director, George Butler, has known Senator Kerry since 1964 and in 1969 began photographing him, in an effort to document his life and career. Using his unique collection of images, the film weaves together Butler's photography with archival material, interviews with Kerry's closest associates, and contemporary footage of him at home and abroad. As with his films PUMPING IRON and THE ENDURANCE, the filmmaker proves himself as a master at portraying American men affected by and affecting history. -- © ThinkFilm [More]
Starring: John Kerry
Starring: John Kerry
Director: George Butler
Director: George Butler
Studio: ThinkFilm
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Reviews for Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry
George Butler's new documentary, unabashed in its admiration for John Kerry, is clearly meant to intervene in the current presidential campaign.
This should be revelatory to most people -- but most people will probably never see Mr. Butler's film, and certainly none of those who consider George W. Bush as next to God.
A lucid, emotionally affecting portrait not just of one man but of his times.
There's an innocence, a purity in intention ... that one rarely sees in a documentary.
Like him or not, John Kerry has led an interesting life, much of which is ably documented in George Butler's film
Right now, Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry feels like a campaign film, but in six weeks, it'll feel like what it really is: a dramatic, involving story.
Kerry's testimony before the Foreign Relations Committee is powerful and heartbreaking.
[I]t will leave you with questions you’ll be asking long after the November election.
Butler's mission might have been better served by giving Kerry's critics some say.
Put into production long before Kerry's presidential candidacy, the absorbing account reflects Butler's long experience with nonfiction film.
George Butler's documentary may not sway any political opinions one way or the other, but it does provide ample evidence that Kerry did more than show up for battle.
... beneath the hagiography is a deeply affecting portrait of a young man of privilege who didn't have to serve in Vietnam, yet in whom the idea of national service had been ingrained.
Going Upriver really concerns all soldiers who returned from Vietnam only to discover that their nation had failed them.
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