In Country

In the first few moments of IN COUNTRY, it's hard to tell if you're watching a fictional war film or an in-depth documentary on the subject. As it unfolds, you realize it's a bit of both. The movie follows a group of hardcore Vietnam re-enactors in Oregon, who go to great lengths to ensure their adventure is as accurate as possible. They've got the outfits and the weapons, and they're camped out in the woods, staying so true to their characters you forget it's all a show. While some are simply actors curious about the military, many are veterans who lived the hell of battle for real – from Vietnam to the War in Afghanistan. For them, these fantasy outings evoke an array of emotions that give viewers an extremely intimate portrait of life in war. Their shared stories are paired with vintage Vietnam footage, then juxtaposed with their modern day roleplay. IN COUNTRY is a war film like no other. It's completely unique, managing to somehow capture the authenticity of the Vietnam experience through very fantastical means. – E.F.