Documentary ‘Brothers at War’ is Heartfelt But Narrow in Scope

Rating: 2.5/5.0

CHICAGO – The market has been flooded with documentaries about the failure of the Iraq War, which makes the arrival of a human story about real people on the ground something notable and refreshing. Sadly, Jacob Rademacher’s “Brothers at War” is as myopic as any piece of “left-wing propaganda” about the failure of the war, missing both the big picture and the human one due to its filmmaker’s refusal to ask the dark questions.

“Brothers at War” is Jacob Rademacher’s film (Executive Produced by Gary Sinise) primarily about his two brother’s time in Iraq. Jake realizes that no research is going to fully give him the knowledge of what it feels like to be on the ground, so he heads overseas to try and walk a mile in his brother’s shoes.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Brothers at War” in our reviews section.

Jake was given complete access to his brother Cpt. Isaac Rademacher’s Surveillance Company near the Syrian border in Iraq. For the first half of “Brothers at War,” we learn about the details of life spent looking through a scope in the heat of the desert. Men are sent to watch parts of the border where they think the enemy may be crossing. They spend days and nights looking for movement.

The early section of “Brothers,” as Jake talks to people on the ground in Iraq, watches “The O.C.” with them, and learns about how to take a bathroom break in the middle of nowhere works.

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Brothers at War” review.

Isaac Rademacher and director Jake Rademacher.
Photo credit: Conor Colwell/Samuel Goldwyn Films