A Review of The Keeper by Nick Olszyk
Distribution: Theatrical
MPAA Rating, R
USCCB Rating, Not Rated at the Time of This Review
Reel Rating, Two Reels
The phenomenon
of veteran suicide is a truly horrible reality that deserves attention. Based
on a
true story, The Keeper attempts to provide a sobering meditation on the
issue but fails on a basic cinematic commandment. It has a lot to tell but precious,
little to show. That doesn’t mean it is worthless as an experience, just hard
to recover from a race when you trip out of the gate.
The film
begins with George (Angus Benfeld), a middle aged, out of shape veteran going
through a normal day, when he hears that a fellow comrade has attempted
suicide. With his friend’s life in the balance, he decides to escape from the grind
by going on the Appalachian trail, a two-thousand-mile trek down the Eastern US.
George carries on his pack the nametags of over two hundred veteran suicides,
representing the average daily total, to honor them and bring awareness. Along
the way, he meets a myriad cast of characters including a young female grunt
struggling in a man’s world, a father camping with his young son after his
wife’s recent death, and a nerdy Marine who is frequently the brunt of his Army
friends’ inter-military jokes. All this culminates in a Shyamalan-esque ending
that’s neat, but it’s such a slog to get there that the reveal is
underwhelming.
It must be
warned that this film is incredibly boring. Every time George meets someone
new, he launches into a three-minute expository essay about his purpose, which
occurs at least a half dozen times. Most scenes involve either common military
banter or long speeches about life’s problems. This is usually done in a two
shot with minimal visual stimulation. The stories are sad but quickly become
repetitive, especially from George himself. Oddly, nearly every person George
meets is a veteran with an extremely tragic backstory. Sometimes they are
friendly, sometimes aggressive, but they are never out for a leisurely stroll.
There are
only two moments of genuine “action” in the film, The first occurs after George
learns his friend doesn’t survive. He responds by attempting suicide himself
only to have another group of vets randomly find and stop him. They brutally
chastise him and threaten to remove the names he has nearly dishonored. George
grudgingly apologizes, but the audience never learns why he is suicidal.
Indeed, there is never a serious conversation about why veterans might
experience depression or PSTD. There is no talk of God, dealing with suffering,
the nature of evil, or anything! Life just sucks, and suicide isn’t the answer,
but no one in The Keeper seems to knows a solution. The 2nd
is a major twist that gives extra meaning to the film but raises as many
questions as answers.
Sometimes,
it’s fun to write a bad review, but I felt no joy in discussing this film’s
poor choices. PSTD, depression, and suicide are incredibly significant
realities for many veterans and their families. My family has a veteran
neighbor who had a serious mental health emergency last year which led to his
hospitalization. Praise God he survived and is doing better. The sin of
George’s story was not content but presentation. Had these tales been portrayed
on a multi-episode podcast or written better, it would have been a thousand
times more effective. Despite the less than stellar quality of the film, it
does leave the viewer with a sense of appreciation for the sacrifices of these
men and women. I pray for all veterans, especially those struggling with
suicide, to find the peace that passes all understanding and the support of a grateful
nation.
This article first appeared in Catholic World Report on May 24th, 2024.
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