The Tillman Story (2010)
93%RT Audience Score: 91%
Awards & Nominations: 5 wins & 16 nominations
The Tillman Story is a poignant and thought-provoking documentary that delves into the complexities of war, politics, and the human experience. Through powerful interviews and heartbreaking footage, director Amir Bar-Lev sheds light on the tragic death of Pat Tillman and the subsequent cover-up by the government. The film not only exposes the flaws in our system but also highlights the resilience and courage of the Tillman family in their pursuit of the truth. With its masterful storytelling and insightful commentary, The Tillman Story is a must-see for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the impact of war on our society.
The Tillman Story is a documentary that will leave you feeling a mix of emotions. From sadness to frustration to outright anger, this film does not hold back in exposing the truth about Pat Tillman’s death and the government’s attempts to cover it up. While it may not be the most well-made documentary, it doesn’t need to be. The story speaks for itself and will leave you questioning the nature of war and the lengths those in power will go to protect their own interests. Plus, who doesn’t love a good mystery? Who shot Pat Tillman? We may never know, but this film will leave you with a better understanding of who he was and what he stood for.
Production Company(ies)
Diamond Docs A&E Indie Films, Passion Pictures,
Distributor
Weinstein Co.
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language
Year of Release
2010
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:NA
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Runtime:1h 34m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 20, 2010 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 1, 2011
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
starring Josh Brolin, directed by Amir Bar-Lev, written by Amir Bar-Lev, Joe Bini, Mark Monroe, documentary, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Christy Lemire, Marjorie Baumgarten, Lisa Kennedy, Rene Rodriguez, Bill Goodykoontz, Brian Tallerico, Brian D Johnson, Mark Warren, Sr Rose Pacatte, Sean Burns, Peter Canavese, produced by John Battsek, MPAA rating R, Pat Tillman, Afghanistan, military cover-up, friendly fire, football player, soldier, family, truth, propaganda, Congress, Vietnam, heroes, war, citizenship, discipleship, historical context, Walter M, Everett J, Bill C, Jesse O
Worldwide gross: $802,535
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,090,955
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,579
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 118,970
US/Canada gross: $802,535
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,090,955
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,164
US/Canada opening weekend: $52,185
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $70,940
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,073
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Amir Bar-Lev – Director, Writer
Joe Bini – Writer
Mark Monroe – Writer
John Battsek – Producer
Director(s)
Amir Bar-Lev
Writer(s)
Amir Bar-Lev, Joe Bini, Mark Monroe
Producer(s)
John Battsek
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
5 wins & 16 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (88) | Top Critics (35) | Fresh (82) | Rotten (6)
We may never know exactly who shot Pat Tillman on that ridge in Afghanistan or why, but we have a better idea of who he was.
October 29, 2010
Christy Lemire
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
The Tillman Story is an illustrative, cautionary tale, a fact-finding mission that was ultimately stonewalled by Congress, as we witness in heartbreaking footage of the cover-up hearings.
September 25, 2010 | Rating: 3/5
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Bar-Lev’s documentary’s greatest service isn’t in recounting the Army’s back-pedaling so much as underscoring how communal needs and family grief don’t perfectly align. And that political usefulness may attempt to trump all other rites.
September 17, 2010 | Rating: 3/4
Lisa Kennedy
Denver Post
TOP CRITIC
The Tillman Story clearly lays out exactly what happened that caused Tillman to be blown to bits by fellow U.S.forces — and the government’s efforts to whitewash the story to avoid mounting criticism of the war.
September 16, 2010 | Rating: 3/4
Rene Rodriguez
Miami Herald
TOP CRITIC
Watching the film, emotions range from sadness, of course, to frustration to outright anger. This, truly, is the best we can do? Throwing up roadblocks in front of the truth, not trusting the American people to understand the nature of war…
September 8, 2010 | Rating: 4.5/5
Bill Goodykoontz
Arizona Republic
TOP CRITIC
You are unlikely to see a documentary this year more powerful than The Tillman Story.
September 2, 2010 | Rating: 5/5
Brian Tallerico
HollywoodChicago.com
TOP CRITIC
The Tillman Story is an astonishing case study that drives home the familiar adage that truth is the first casualty of war.
July 24, 2019
Brian D. Johnson
Maclean’s Magazine
Amir Bar-Lev’s powerful film, Tillman, takes in that whole sordid period in the life of America and portrays the singular Tillman family vividly and wonderfully.
October 18, 2018
Mark Warren
Esquire Magazine
These are not popular films, but they are intrinsically essential to our understanding of citizenship and discipleship in the modern world.
June 29, 2017
Sr. Rose Pacatte
National Catholic Reporter
It’s not a particularly well-made documentary, but it doesn’t need to be.
April 28, 2015
Sean Burns
Philadelphia Weekly
It’s no mistake that the film’s (anti-)resolving image is a statue of Tillman, frozen in time as a heroic but Sphynx-like riddle. [Blu-ray]
February 24, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/4
Peter Canavese
Groucho Reviews
[A] brilliant, deceptively complex portrait.
January 21, 2011 | Rating: 3.5/4
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid…
Plot
Pat Tillman never thought of himself as a hero. His choice to leave a multimillion-dollar football contract and join the military wasn’t done for any reason other than he felt it was the right thing to do. The fact that the military manipulated his tragic death in the line of duty into a propaganda tool is unfathomable and thoroughly explored in Amir Bar-Lev’s riveting and enraging documentary.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The Tillman Story features Josh Brolin as the narrator.
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