The Recruiter (2008 film)
Encyclopedia
The Recruiter is a 2008 award-winning documentary film directed by Edet Belzberg
.
One of every four high school graduates cannot pass the basic military entrance exam. Couple that with high obesity
and rise of criminal records
means there is a much lower chance of getting military recruits. Despite these obstacles recruitment numbers are hitting their marks. The economic crisis
is giving way to more willing recruits and many of them have one of the key measures to join, a high school diploma
. Still the ineligibility rates some military leaders say are, “a matter of national security
.”
The Recruiter takes viewers to the Louisiana coast, where they witness firsthand Sergeant First Class
Clay Usie’s struggle to enlist new soldiers into the U.S. Army
in his hometown of Houma, LA
. Sgt. Usie believes that every American should serve their country and he sets his sights on Lauren, Matt, Bobby, and Chris, four teenagers who think that the Army is the answer for them.
Shot in verite style over a nine-month period the film shows the new recruits in their last semesters of high school as they prepare with Sgt. Usie for boot camp
. After graduation, the film follows three of the four teenagers to basic training where they make the transition from civilians to soldiers. (The fourth teenager, Chris, was shipped out to Iraq early due to high casualties in the war.) The hardships that come with being in the army begin to arise at basic training. One girl has a massive panic attack
, while some of the boys try to fake being gay in order to be discharged under “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Once basic training is complete, the film follows Matt and Lauren back to Houma for their one-month leave before they ship out to Iraq
and/or Afghanistan
. Bobby, who was selected to join Special Forces
, continues his training. The Recruiter wraps up with epilogues of where each soldier is now.
and the Iraq War.
Matt: A football player and jock whose father left his family when he was young, has been the man of the house ever since. He thinks of the Army as a chance to become the man his father never was. He marries his high school girlfriend during his one-month leave before shipping out; Sergeant Clay Usie is his best man.
Lauren: A lesbian
/gothic artist, that wants to join the army in the hopes of paying for art school. Her mother encourages her to enlist in hopes that she will escape Houma and also be “cured” of being gay. She questions why there are no art classes in the army.
Chris: An overweight, quiet kid who is enlisting in the Army to get in better shape. His stepfather does not support this decision, but Sgt. Usie makes sure that he meets the Amry’s physical requirements for enlisting.
Edet Belzberg
- Biography :Belzberg received a B.A. in 1991 from the University of Colorado, Boulder and an M.A. in 1997 from the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University. She received the Columbia University School of Journalism's John M...
.
One of every four high school graduates cannot pass the basic military entrance exam. Couple that with high obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
and rise of criminal records
Criminal Records
Criminal Records is the name of a UK based independent record label representing basement bands. It was formed in 2004 and focuses of the emergence of the subgenre known as Basement Rock or Basement. They represent over 20 UK bands.-External links:* *...
means there is a much lower chance of getting military recruits. Despite these obstacles recruitment numbers are hitting their marks. The economic crisis
Late-2000s financial crisis
The late-2000s financial crisis is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s...
is giving way to more willing recruits and many of them have one of the key measures to join, a high school diploma
High school diploma
A high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the completion of high school. In the United States and Canada, it is considered the minimum education required for government jobs and higher education. An equivalent is the GED.-Past diploma styles:...
. Still the ineligibility rates some military leaders say are, “a matter of national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
.”
The Recruiter takes viewers to the Louisiana coast, where they witness firsthand Sergeant First Class
Sergeant First Class
Sergeant First Class is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is the first senior non-commissioned officer rank...
Clay Usie’s struggle to enlist new soldiers into the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in his hometown of Houma, LA
Houma, Louisiana
Houma is a city in and the parish seat of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, and the largest principal city of the Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's powers of government have been absorbed by the parish, which is now run by the Terrebonne Parish...
. Sgt. Usie believes that every American should serve their country and he sets his sights on Lauren, Matt, Bobby, and Chris, four teenagers who think that the Army is the answer for them.
Shot in verite style over a nine-month period the film shows the new recruits in their last semesters of high school as they prepare with Sgt. Usie for boot camp
Recruit training
Recruit training, more commonly known as Basic Training and colloquially called Boot Camp, is the initial indoctrination and instruction given to new military personnel, enlisted and officer...
. After graduation, the film follows three of the four teenagers to basic training where they make the transition from civilians to soldiers. (The fourth teenager, Chris, was shipped out to Iraq early due to high casualties in the war.) The hardships that come with being in the army begin to arise at basic training. One girl has a massive panic attack
Panic attack
Panic attacks are periods of intense fear or apprehension that are of sudden onset and of relatively brief duration. Panic attacks usually begin abruptly, reach a peak within 10 minutes, and subside over the next several hours...
, while some of the boys try to fake being gay in order to be discharged under “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Once basic training is complete, the film follows Matt and Lauren back to Houma for their one-month leave before they ship out to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and/or Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. Bobby, who was selected to join Special Forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
, continues his training. The Recruiter wraps up with epilogues of where each soldier is now.
Recruit Profiles
Bobby: An Honor Student, that comes from a long line of men who served in the military. Bobby is selected for Special Forces training, but his father is anxious about sending his son to basic training when the U.S. is fighting the War in AfghanistanWar in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
and the Iraq War.
Matt: A football player and jock whose father left his family when he was young, has been the man of the house ever since. He thinks of the Army as a chance to become the man his father never was. He marries his high school girlfriend during his one-month leave before shipping out; Sergeant Clay Usie is his best man.
Lauren: A lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
/gothic artist, that wants to join the army in the hopes of paying for art school. Her mother encourages her to enlist in hopes that she will escape Houma and also be “cured” of being gay. She questions why there are no art classes in the army.
Chris: An overweight, quiet kid who is enlisting in the Army to get in better shape. His stepfather does not support this decision, but Sgt. Usie makes sure that he meets the Amry’s physical requirements for enlisting.
External links
- http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92971946 Film Details Frustrations Of Army Recruiter
- http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/the-recruiter/index.html HBO Recruiter Site
- http://www.propellerfilms.com/recruiter/ Official Website The Recruiter