Body of War is an intimate and transformational feature documentary about the true face of war today. Meet Tomas Young, 25 years old, paralyzed from a bullet to his spine – wounded after serving in Iraq for less than a week.
Body of War is Tomas’ coming home story as he evolves into a new person, coming to terms with his disability and finding his own unique and passionate voice against the war. The film is produced and directed by Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro, and features two original songs by Eddie Vedder. Body of War is a naked and honest portrayal of what it’s like inside the body, heart and soul of this extraordinary and heroic young man.
Body of War unfolds on two parallel tracks. On the one hand, we see Tomas evolving into a powerful voice against the war as he struggles to deal with the complexities of a paralyzed body. And on the other, we see the historic debate unfolding in the Congress about going to war in Iraq.
The film opens as Tomas and his fiancé Brie prepare for their wedding. However, because of his disability, we see how the simple everyday activities for Tomas are involved and challenging. War is personal and the film takes us into the skin and bones of what it means to have no control over basic bodily functions. In many remarkable scenes, we directly experience how vulnerable and open Tomas is as he interacts with his wife, family, and friends.
Eric:
If people didn’t JOIN the army then there wouldn’t be anybody to stand up for the things that you hold dear (i.e. Twinkies, PS3, and masturbation) and you you just get drafted like in Vietnam. Its not that these kids are too stupid to realize that harm might happen to them, they usually just don’t have any other options in life. Most of the “dumb kids” come from social situations where there is no other way to get a college education except by joining the military. I think that you should have a little more respect for the people that serve. They allow you to lay on your fat, over-opinionated, lazy, civilian ass all day watching porn while sitting on your bean-bag chair naked eating gummy bears.
Kevin: well done you have swallowed whole the lies, distortion and propoganda of US governments sunce 1945.
War means killing AND -of course- dying. An army exists for fighting wars.So what soldiers are to do is
killing. If you try to kill people, they will try to kill you. Of course.
And if you join the army (goes for ANY army including the US Army), you have to be aware of the fact that you can be killed or crippled for life (mentally od physically).
Problem is that most people joining the US army are retarded kids at the age of 19, who are too stupid to realize what they are going for.I don´t feel sorry for anybody who joins the army. Should think about it from the start.
If you don´t, you have to face the consequences. Thats the disadvantage of beeing/becoming a retarded grunt.
I hate when people only realize what something means and become aware that something is wrong, only when they experience it themselves, while before that tragedy happens to them, they thought otherwise, even though nothing has changed in between, except they lost something.
Too see all this bad sides of war, you don’t have to become paralyzed, you just have to open your eyes and stand up from sitting on your hands.
That goes for any serious illness too. I hate when famous actors start raising funds and starting foundations for this and that illness, syndrome, etc., only because they suffer(ed) it, or someone of their relatives died from it.
Actually I don’t hate them for raising funds, I hate them bragging about it later, how they become aware that they must contribute to comunity, start giving..blah, blah, blah. Then Oprah hosts them and we see all the ridiculous reasons they name instead of saying just the truth: you do it for your sorry ass consciousness, to feel better after that tragedy hit you, not because you want to help anyone else. Stop lying to yourself and others.
As for this movie I’d say:
you and those like you are the reason so many people die in wars every day, your sorry ass ignorant, propaganda eaten brains.
Until you experience it for yourself you’re unable to see through their smoke screen. You think there’s honesty, patriotism, right and wrong in war? THE Cause? What cause? Saving American lives? Give me a break, best way to save american lives is to make everyone happy and leave them alone, then they won’t come at you and take your precious American lives. What about Iraqi lives? Afghanistanian lives? Some other third world country lives? They don’t mean crap to you, well if you think that, others won’t give a crap when American lives get lost, actually they’ll do exactly what they’re doing now, kill as much Americans as they can.
I hate these “enlightened” stories from people who were once ignorant and now finally landed into reality.
Now become aware that the whole system you live in against you, then when you do, change it and world we live in will be better place, also a better place for saving American lives. Without need to go in War on terror.
sometimes you need to touch the element to learn just how hot it is.