September 12th (David Heinz, 2016): USA

Reviewed by Elijah Kimmel viewed in the Antioch University at the 2017 Santa Barbara International Film Festival

September 12th is a film that captures a snapshot of America after one of its darkest day. By the title you would expect 9/11 to play a big part of the film, while evidence of the tragedy is sprinkled throughout the film it is very minor. The film was directed by David Heinz which is his first feature film and stars Joe Purdy and Amber Rubarth, also their first feature.

It follows the story of two musicians who meet each other while flying to New York during the attack on the World Trade Center. The attack causes their flight to turn back to Los Angeles and all flights are canceled. They are both desperate to get to New York so they decide to take a road trip together to reach their destination. Along the road they see America in a very unique time, when it was less divided and felt like they were in this together.

The film features great folk songs performed live by Purdy and Rubarth who are actually real-life folk singers and not actors. While the two share chemistry with each other and do a decent job in their first roles, the movie falters a bit by Purdy’s somewhat wooden performance. David Heinz and cinematographer David Whetstone capture beautiful American landscapes which seem totally peaceful in the midst of all this chaos. The shots of the beautiful landscapes and the road trip seem like an homage to the 1969 film Easy Rider.  

As I said before the film sets itself up to be a very heavy on 9/11 but really does not tackle the subject like one might think, the film instead has some incidents of how the rest of America is reacting to this event. This film draws a big contrast with films like Oliver Stone’s The World Trade Center that takes you right into chaos. Other than the first and last act while watching most of the movie you will find that it could have taken place in any year because any aspect of 9/11 is mostly absent. There are a few moments where a man hands Amber an American flag, some radio banter about the tragedy, and a choice the characters have to make whether to tell an isolated man that the attack took place. Other than that the terrorist attack mainly serves as a plot point to get the two characters to go on a road trip with each other. Although the absence 9/11 of  shows that even when a national tragedy happens Americans can still continue with their lives while also mourning the fallen.

September 12th is a different kind of 9/11 film that shows Americans can stick together even in our darkest times. It is refreshing to see such an undivided America especially in the political climate we live in right now, although I do get the sad idea that only a common enemy or a national tragedy committed by a foreign power is the only thing that can truly bring us together. Hopefully the power of music used by the two leads can bring us together more than a common enemy.