September 12th (David Heinz, 2017): USA

Reviewed by Gustav Arndal. Viewed at Antioch University at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

I was neither American nor more than a toddler when the September 11th attacks took place. And though I never experienced the tragedy or remember the grieving that followed, the event has left an impression on the world and on popular culture that’s hard not to notice.

I’ve heard the stories about the aftermath. About how the American people grieved in their own ways and came together in a trying time. American films and TV episodes have from time to time referenced it or dealt directly with characters seeing the towers burning. But without the point of reference of experiencing that day, the narrative power of 9/11 doesn’t work on me like it does on people who remember it.

Thus, movies and TV episodes about 9/11 have ranged from solemn nods to an audience that already understands all the way to exploitative garbage seeking to turn shock value into profit. Until today, 15 years after the attacks, when David Heinz pulled it off. September 12th is a great 9/11 film, and this achievement is thanks to Heinz’ decision to make the story about America and its people instead of the disaster itself.

And September 12th is truly the most American movie in recent memory – a love letter to Americana. When the airports shut down on September 11th folk singers Elliott (Joe Purdy) and Joni (Amber Rubarth) find themselves stranded on the west coast needing to find their way across the country. After they meet on the plane and connect over their love of folk music, Joni’s aunt lends them her old touring van, and the two of them go on a road trip to the opposite coast, befriending strangers, dealing with their shock and singing folk songs along the way.

This is a road trip movie through and through, complete with stunning landscape shots, charming landmarks, and kind, helpful strangers, all with an old, beaten van to top it all off.

Heinz’ approach, and his success in making a movie out of 9/11, comes from a desire of authenticity. Most of the production happened on a genuine road trip through the Midwest and they deliberately refrained from casting big names in the film. Almost all the supporting characters were a result of on-location casting. Which is not to say the performances were bad, in fact it removes a sense of artifice that professional actors might unknowingly add to the proceedings.

At times this authenticity may seem like shoddy production value. The car engine muffles the dialogue at times, and some extras shine better than others, but it does little to distract from the overall experience of joining Elliott and Joni on their journey.

The two leads were picked for their skills as folk singers, neither having experience as actors, but they truly shine in their roles. Both Purdy and Rubarth have an aura of folksy humanity and a chemistry that carries the whole movie. Their singing is real, their passion for folk music is real, and it shows in every shot they’re in.

The marriage of folk music and the aftermath of the September 11th attacks works amazingly well. Music not only keeps your mind occupied, it connects you with strangers in a more comfortable way than sadness does. Folk music in particular becomes a running theme, having roots in American traditions of hard work and hospitality. When Joni decides on their mission to “bring back the folk,” the movie is right there with her, ultimately saying much more about the power of music and kindness than it does about the politics of 9/11.

The image of the burning towers, ingrained into the minds of a generation, never show up on screen to shock the audience. We get glimpses of the aftermath in short radio broadcasts, small remarks from strangers, and even smaller ticks from the actors. Heinz and his crew aren’t interested in the logistics of the attacks nor the politics of the response. The focus is, rightly, on the people who lived through it together.

If you’re interested in a dramatic retelling of a real, terrible tragedy and the ensuing political chaos, September 12th is not for you. This movie is about America’s people, the power of music and the subtle kindness of collective grieving.

I am not an American. But this movie made me feel like one. It made me nostalgic for a time I don’t remember in a place I haven’t been to. There is a true, authentic nostalgia on display that rubs off on you, and at the end you can’t help but wonder if America lost this sense of kinship, especially in these divisive times.

September 12th shows us the American people at their best. Maybe it will take a major tragedy to bring this whole mess of a country together again in the same way. Or maybe all it takes is to follow Elliott’s and Joni’s  example, and bring back the folk.

[Picture from imdb]

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Published:
02.04.17 / 4pm
Category:
Films, Santa Barbara Film Festival 2017