Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry (2004) Reviews

• What I Didn't Learn in History Class

  openteach2004-10-09

  By the time we got to the Vietnam war in school it was always three days before summer vacation. My knowledge about the war is spotty at best, despite that my father's generation either fought in this war or figured out ways to avoid fighting in it. I am a Kerry supporter, but after seeing this film my opinion has changed from viewing him as merely an alternative to Bush to believing that this is a man with an intimate knowledge of the military and the convictions and experience to lead the country. I did not love Fahrenheit 9/11 (although "Bowling for Columbine" is great) because I felt that the vitriol was so obvious the film became ultimately unbelievable---so partisan I did not believe it could be entirely accurate. But when I was watching "Going Upriver" I continually found myself wondering what George Bush was doing during the time when John Kerry was fighting and then protesting. These questions have prompted me to find out more about George Bush. This film is not an "angry" film like F9/11. But I was shocked to see that while John Kerry was taken very seriously as a war hero in the 1970s by both the government and the media, it has been so easy for the Republicans to denigrate that image today. Not only is that wrong, but it seems sad that the American people care so little about truth and accept information so blindly.

• Terrific documentary

  Merrick2004-10-13

  Politics aside, this is a very well-made film, dramatic, and enhanced with a perfect score by Philip Glass. You learn not only a great deal about John Kerry, but about the Vietnam War and its aftermath, especially in terms of the anti-war movement. The film uses a great deal of stock footage to carry the story along and has all the appropriate talking heads. The present John Kerry is excluded from the interviews, which is appropriate. There is honor attached to Mr. Kerry in this film, but it can be viewed by anyone without feeling as if it were a piece of propaganda. George Ball has made a great motion picture that can be considered of Oscar-caliber. Since Michael Moore gave others room in the Documentary field, this should be considered as one of the year's best in that category.

• I wish I could make this country see this film...

  teytelman2004-10-28

  It is 2:30 in the morning, and I have several hours of work ahead of me. The last thing I was expecting to do today was watch a movie. I did, and I do not regret it - worth the loss of sleep. I have made up my mind to vote against Bush a while back. My line has been, "I know that Kerry is just another politician. I know that he is a demagogue who promises everything. But, he is not evil, and Cheney and Rumsfeld aside, I can't see who would be worse than Bush." Now that I have watched the film, I realize how little I knew about Kerry. I've suddenly realized that not only will he be better than Bush, but he is one of the very few people in this country that are perfect for leading the US out of the Iraq quagmire.

• Important film

  William-332004-10-24

  I didn't know what this was about. A friend just said - "go see this movie - it's important". ANd now I'm saying the same thing. Check this out and understand that what you hear in popular media is not always the truth. I just saw this film - very impressive and important that people see this. I don't know if website links are allowed on IMDb - if so, the movie is available as a free download at thekerrymovie.com. If not, Google for "Going Upriver Kerry" and you'll find the place to download and view it for free. Well worth the time!! Thanks for reading.

• A real opportunity

  jerayne10212004-10-10

  Like many others, I was impressed by the quality of this film. The focus on the facts, interviews and archival footage brought a sense of truth and an immediacy that won't be easily forgotten. I was especially moved by the intimate photos of Kerry with family and friends that conclude the film, that are shown during the closing credits. He is obviously both a deep thinker with a subtle mind and a man of strong passions. My lasting impression is that we have a unique opportunity to elect a man who understands the workings and even (at times) the necessity of war, yet is reluctant to send people to fight unless it's absolutely necessary, due to his own unforgettable experiences. His maturity and feeling for others have my vote! I feel he will be best equipped to get us out of the "quagmire" of Iraq, as well as to bring his statesmanship to bear on any future situation in this increasingly complex world.