Bastards’ Road (Brian Morrison, 2020): USA

Reviewed by Diego Moreno. Viewed at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2020.

Bastards’ Road is the best independent film I have seen at SBIFF 2020 out of the many I have watched during that festival. It is a must-see emotional ride that everyone needs to see. Bastards’ Road is an important film as we see war veterans talk about their experiences with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a terrifying condition one suffers after being in a traumatic event. The many intense emotions this film makes you feel is what makes it stand out.

I watched Bastards’ Road at the Lobero Theater as it was one of the films being premiered at SBIFF 2020. Bastards’ Road is a documentary directed by Brian Morrison, which is his debut as a director, cinematographer, producer, and an editor. The film follows a war veteran named Jon Hancock, who suffers from PTSD and takes a 5,800 mile walk across America to visit his friends (or their families if they have passed away) who served with him during the war, who also suffer from PTSD. As he reunites with his friends, he bonds with them, heals with them, and bands them all back together, so they can be there for each other.

Bastards’ Road is one of the few films I have seen that has managed to make me cry. It delivers both beautiful and heartbreaking moments. It’s beautiful during certain shots and when you see Jon Hancock and his friends having a good time together. It’s heartbreaking to see the veterans suffering, describing in-depth painful memories during and after the war, and learning many attempt and commit suicide as veterans have a 50% higher suicide rate than non-veterans. We learn the pain doesn’t end for them even after they’ve come home from the battlefield. Life isn’t the same for them and they are haunted by their war experiences. Many things trigger these memories. From beginning to end, it’s an emotional rollercoaster that will leave you shaken.

I highly recommend for everyone to view Bastards’ Road. It’s worth it. Especially to get a better understanding of what war veterans go through everyday and the condition PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a very scary condition (as I have it myself) that more people out there need to know about and understand. It’s an unforgettable journey to take with Jon Hancock. For his first feature film, Brian Morrison does an excellent job. Recently, this film won a well-deserved Best Documentary Film Award at SBIFF 2020 and am very glad it did.