Isaac and Joey have a superhero for a father. They worship their Dad, Brian Eisch, a decorated, third generation soldier who spends most of their childhood deployed in Afghanistan while other family members care for the boys. When Brian is injured and returns home a different man, all three must reconcile with the aftershocks of war. As Brian fights to retain control of himself and his loved ones, fate continues to challenge his belief in justice and self-determination. Catri... (Full plot summary below)
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Isaac and Joey have a superhero for a father. They worship their Dad, Brian Eisch, a decorated, third generation soldier who spends most of their childhood deployed in Afghanistan while other family members care for the boys. When Brian is injured and returns home a different man, all three must reconcile with the aftershocks of war. As Brian fights to retain control of himself and his loved ones, fate continues to challenge his belief in justice and self-determination. Catrin Einhorn and Leslye Davis's stunning ethnographic study of American masculinity and generational tragedy follows the Eischs for close to a decade as their intense father-son bond is challenged time and time again. Davis's restrained and beautiful cinematography subtly captures moments of raw anguish and unadulterated joy. This deeply moving portrait of a family called to serve explores the meaning of sacrifice, the need for purpose, and the challenges of being a father, a soldier and a son. Presented by Netflix.
Leave your thoughts about Father Soldier Son.
| Los Angeles TimesKevin CrustFather Soldier Son is a demanding film, a sometimes brutal story told with immense empathy. There is sorrow and joy; success and failure; marriage, birth and death. The Eisches are a tough crew, absorbing the challenges and even tragedy with a fragile resilience. |
| Movie NationRoger MooreFather Soldier Son can be compared to the controversial Vietnam era doc “Hearts and Minds,” as well as the sober WWII’s aftermath “The Best Years of Our Lives,”in its focus, its intimacy and its politics. |
| Wall Street JournalJoe MorgensternIt’s research of a profoundly affecting kind — a study of love and devotion, and the toll taken by machine-gun bullets on a body, a gallant spirit and a family. |
| The PlaylistAsher LubertoFather, Soldier, Son doesn’t show bias toward the highs or the lows. Rather, it depicts Brian’s life as a mixture of love and loss, pain and recovery, birth, death, and rebirth. What emerges is an unforgettable portrait of a life in flux. |
| RogerEbert.comNell MinowDirectors Leslye Davis and Catrin Einhorn present the film in an intimate, unobtrusive, understated style. They have the luxury of time so everyone on screen is completely relaxed and open, seemingly forgetting the cameras are there. Spending years with the family gives the story additional scope and depth. |
| The Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckThe result is a deeply intimate and revealing family portrait that proves admirable in its objectivity if occasionally frustrating in its sprawling sketchiness. |
| The New York TimesJessica KiangLike life, it sometimes skips years, only to land on an evening that feels like an epoch. |
| TimeStephanie ZacharekIts easygoing structure may also be what makes it feel so intimate. Davis and Einhorn — both of whom are New York Times reporters — don’t have to spell out codes of masculinity, familial duty and love for one’s country. Instead, we’re allowed to bear witness as Eisch and his family show us what those values mean to them. |
| TheWrapSteve PondWhat is says is sobering and at times disturbing, which gives the film a quiet power even if it’s at times frustrating. |
| The GuardianBenjamin LeeIt’s an intimate portrait that at times borders on meandering but it remains free of judgment throughout, with Einhorn and Davis using their background as journalists to let the story happen without coercion or commentary. |
