Army of One (Director's Cut)

“Army of One should become required viewing…”
- James Wegg, Film Threat

“Sarah Goodman's excellent entry has the economy and force of good poetry and the momentum of good fiction.”
- Wendy Banks, NOW Magazine

“Army of One has a rare power and presence that makes it an excruciatingly important film to see…”
- Bill Siegal, Co-Director of the Oscar-Nominated “The Weather Underground.”

In the wake of 9/11, three young people join the U.S. army, seeking direction in their lives. What unfolds is an intimate and heartbreaking account of their two-year wayward journeys. In stark contrast to the portraits of willing patriotic soldiers that America sells at home and abroad, these recruits' stories reveal the more realistic, troubled conflict of American youth trapped within a military mission much larger than themselves.

Thaddeus leaves a cushy stockbroker job to find glory in the war on terror, but soon mutinies against the army's mission, nearly losing himself in the process. South Bronx high-school drop out Nelson joins to find respect, but goes AWOL when the army fails to deliver. Sara reluctantly abandons her youthful dabbling in modern dance to join, then finds herself thrust into leadership and selected for battle in Iraq.

Army of One is a social commentary on American youth fed on television idols. Searching for an instant identity, they respond to the slick ad campaigns of the army. Enlisting seems like an attractive way to establish a strong identity, but it can become a devastating trap.