View source for Brothers at War

{{Infobox film
| name        = Brothers at War
| image       = BAWonesheetsmall.jpg
| caption     = Theatrical release poster
| director    = Jake Rademacher
| producer    = [[Norman S. Powell]]<br/>Jake Rademacher<br/>[[Gary Sinise]]'' (Executive Producer)''<br/>David Scantling'' (Executive Producer)''
| starring    = Jake Rademacher<br/>CPT [[Isaac Rademacher]]<br/>SGT [[Joseph Rademacher (soldier)|Joseph Rademacher]]
| music       = [[Lee Holdridge]]
| cinematography = Marc Miller<br/>[[Conor Colwell]]
| editing     = Robert DeMaio
| distributor = [[Samuel Goldwyn Films]]<br>[[Summit Entertainment]]
| released    = {{Film date|2009|3|13}}
| runtime     = 112 minutes
| country     = United States
| language    = English
}}
'''''Brothers at War''''' is a 2009 [[documentary film]] directed by Jake Rademacher<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1239427/|title = Brothers at War (2009) - IMDb| website=[[IMDb]] }}</ref> and produced by Rademacher and [[Norman S. Powell]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0694253/|title=Norman S. Powell|website=IMDb}}</ref>  The film follows several US soldiers in the [[Iraq War]]. The film's [[executive producer]]s are actor, director, and [[Presidential Citizens Medal]] recipient [[Gary Sinise]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000641/|title=Gary Sinise|website=IMDb}}</ref> and [[Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service]] recipient David Scantling.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3262452/|title=David Scantling|website=IMDb}}</ref>   ''Brothers at War'' won the Best Documentary Feature Award at the 2008 [[GI Film Festival]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gifilmfestivalsd.org/2021/|title=2021 GI Film Festival San Diego|website=2021 GI Film Festival San Diego}}</ref>  The film features an original score by [[Lee Holdridge]] and an original song--"Brothers in Arms"—by [[John Ondrasik]] of [[Five for Fighting]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newschannel10.com/Global/story.asp?s%3D9919850%26clienttype%3Dprintable |title=KFDA - NewsChannel 10 / Amarillo, TX: Newschannel10.com - Five for Fighting's John Ondrasik Pens and Performs 'Brothers in Arms' for Samuel Goldwyn Films' Upcoming Film BROTHERS AT WAR |accessdate=2009-03-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090316023629/http://www.newschannel10.com/Global/story.asp?s=9919850&clienttype=printable |archivedate=2009-03-16 }}</ref>
==Synopsis==
{{more plot|date=November 2015}}
Filmmaker Jake Rademacher sets out to understand the motivation, sacrifice and experience of his two younger brothers, Isaac and Joe, serving in [[Iraq]].<ref name="Washington Times">{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/13/movie-review-brothers-at-war/|last=Bunch|first=Sonny|title=Movie Review: Brothers at War|work=Washington Times|date=13 March 2009|accessdate=13 February 2021}}</ref> The film depicts the toll the life-threatening work and separation take on the parents, siblings, wives and children of the soldiers.<ref name="Washington Post">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/12/AR2009031203583.html|last=Zak|first=Dan|title=Movie Review of 'Brothers at War'|newspaper=Washington Post|date=13 March 2009|accessdate=14 February 2021}}</ref> As the film develops, however, it becomes clear that an underlying motivation for Jake is to prove himself to his brothers, and to himself. Jake thought of joining the military as a youth, but was never a candidate for selection. A year behind him, Isaac was studious, athletic and an Eagle Scout, and was offered an acceptance at West Point. Joe is many years younger than the two older boys, and enlisted. In Iraq Joe performs overwatch duties as a sniper. Though not under his command, Joe ended up serving in the [[82nd Airborne Division]], the same unit in which Isaac serves as an officer.<ref name="American Legion">{{cite web|url=https://www.legion.org/boysnation/213237/boys-state-alumnus-films-war-iraq|last=|first=|title=Boys State Alumnus Films the war in Iraq|work=The American Legion|date=23 December 2012|accessdate=15 February 2021}}</ref>
The film follows Jake as he arrives in Iraq at Isaac's unit. Jake is a bit of a distraction to Isaac, who assigns him an embed position with one of his units. Jake has to adjust to life in a combat zone, and goes out with [[reconnaissance]] troops on the [[Syrian]] border and visits sniper "hide sites" in the [[Sunni Triangle]]. After a month of fairly safe postings in country Jake comes home. There he realizes what he has collected fails to tell the story he is looking for. He returns to Iraq, where he is embedded with an Iraqi unit whose US military advisors have encountered embeds before and distrust him, calling him 'Johnny Press'.<ref name="Washington Post"/> It is with this unit that Rademacher comes under fire, encounters casualties, and develops an appreciation for the commitment and loss. Returning home the second time, Jake has a much better understanding with his two brothers.<ref name="Washington Times"/>
==Cast==
*Mahmoud Hamid Ali as himself
*Edward Allier as himself
*Zach Corke as himself
*Danelle Fields as herself
*Ben Fisher as himself
*Kevin Keniston as himself
*Frank McCann as himself
*Brandon 'Mongo' Phillips as himself
*Claus Rademacher as himself
*[[Isaac Rademacher]] as himself
*Jake Rademacher as himself
*Jenny Rademacher as herself
*[[Joseph Rademacher (soldier)|Joseph Rademacher]] as himself
*Robert Smallwood as himself
*Kevin Turner as himself
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{commons category|Brothers At War}}
* {{official website|http://www.brothersatwarmovie.com/}}
* {{IMDb title|1239427}}
;Reviews
* [http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=53195 DoD Website]
* [http://www.marines.mil/units/hqmc/Pages/Documentarypremierereceivesastandingovation.aspx US Marine Corps Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090225065051/http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=30809 Human Events]
* [http://regularfolksunited.com/index.php?tab=article_view&article_id=1069 Regular Folks United]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090316023831/http://www.militarytimes.com/entertainment/movies/military_movie_brothersmovie_022709/ Military Times]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brothers At War}}
[[Category:2009 films]]
[[Category:2009 documentary films]]
[[Category:Films shot in Iraq]]
[[Category:Documentary films about the Iraq War]]
[[Category:American documentary films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Lee Holdridge]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]
[[Category:English-language documentary films]]