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The Tillman Story
User Score
7.2 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 24 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 24
  3. Negative: 4 out of 24

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  1. hpmoon
    Sep 5, 2010
    2
    The Tillman Story is about a professional athlete in a sport that many people love, many people are indifferent about, and many people fundamentally dislike for its violence and overwhelming corporate capitalism. Pat decided to become a soldier instead, but made it very clear that he wanted to go about it low-key and without favor. Predictably, everyone betrayed this intention (arguably, too, his own family). The rest of the film is about that betrayal. Pat is deployed, calls the war “f___ing illegal” (by one person’s account), comes back to the States, and is offered an honorable discharge with the ability to resume a full professional football contract. Despite (allegedly) having just called the war “f___ing illegal,” he rejects that offer and returns to war. In a logistically dangerous canyon, from a split troop caused by a car breakdown, Pat bravely but maybe not (in hindsight) wisely storms up a hill accompanied by an Afghan in Afghan dress, and other rangers accidentally start shooting at the Afghan, presuming he is a Taliban fighter. Pat emerges from cover, exclaims “I’m f___ing Pat Tillman!” and gets shot in the confusion. (Later, Pat’s mother — in no uncertain terms — accuses the soldiers of murder, saying that they had a lust to kill.) The Army hushes the surviving witnesses pending an inevitably long investigation — surely this takes time during a war that has higher priorities, such as avoiding bullets and bombs — but the news media takes off with the story (remember, some Americans love football). Hastily (and wrongly), someone in the military, or a few people in the military, or the entire Federal government in stunning lockstep, withholds the detail that Pat was killed by friendly fire (or as Pat’s mom would have it, lustful killing fire) amidst all the world’s attention. It is possible that he/they/everyone on the flowchart adjudged this to be the most graceful way for the family to remember a hero, or it is possible that he/they/everyone behaved like warmongers and negated the truth solely to sustain positive propaganda. Pat’s family wants to know. I sure would. At the formal funeral, Pat’s youngest brother goes up to the podium in jeans and an undershirt holding a glass of beer, chugs a bit, and says, “Pat isn’t with God, he’s f___ing dead. He wasn’t religious. So thank you for your thoughts, but he’s f___ing dead.” Director Amir Bar-Lev asks if he regrets that years later, and his answer is hell no. Pat’s mother and father continue pursuing the case separately (they are divorced) and Mr. Tillman, a small-town lawyer, writes a letter to the highest levels of government that ends with, “f___ you.” An Inspector General opens an investigation and concludes that it was inappropriate to withhold the information about Pat’s death by friendly fire. The Tillmans still want confessions from everyone on the flowchart of their minds, and they press on with a bi-partisan Congressional hearing where the military’s top brass recite that they cannot remember precise dates and manners that this all went down because they were in the middle of managing a war. (No less, Pat’s wish, to not be treated specially inside his larger call of duty, rings in our ears; or it doesn’t.) One of the soldiers who was closest to Pat, who provides the most insistent narratives and opinions in the film (such as the account of Pat saying the war is “f___ing illegal”), refuses to complete his duty and a military tribunal charges him for violating the law. You might think that his resolve to serve was as fragile as this relative political news blip — and he does say in the film that he only joined the military simply to get a scholarship. All of this is in the film. It is one of the most beloved documentaries of our time, perceived as a slam-dunk invective against our government. So far. If it wins Best Documentary at Hollywood’s annual celebration of itself, the unanimous like-minded community will leap to its feet, believing that the world has changed. There are caveats to end with here. I have deep respect for the men and women who put themselves in harm’s way: even just by enlisting, they outdo everything I’ve done for my country over a lifetime. I am grateful to Pat Tillman and his family in this regard, unqualified. And one more thing: It is possible to have disagreed with the decision to go to war all along (as I did and still do), yet watch this film and be revolted by its simplistic caricatures, its stunningly agnostic treatment of arrogant assumptions, and most of all, its missed opportunity to dignify Pat Tillman: one American hero among thousands of heroes in uniforms, not jerseys. That’s how he wanted to be seen. Or so I assume.… Expand
  2. shaunmed
    Apr 17, 2011
    3
    soldiers die and governments try to make them into heroes. whats so shocking about that? what baffles me is that you sign up to go fight in a war, you get killed, and then people make the death out to be more tragic than any other death. war = tragic. nothing new here, move on.
  3. josephf
    Aug 24, 2010
    9
    i was surprised because it was more than a pat tillman story. it was more about a family who did not want their son to be used falsely by the government as a heroic poster boy for the war in afganistan and about a family's pursuit (particularly his mom) for the truth about their sons (friendly fire) death. very well done. i came out very glad i saw the film.
  4. Tony
    Oct 15, 2010
    9
    A powerful, disturbing look into the corruption behind the military cover-up of Pat Tillman's death, but it also presents a look at Tillman's life--one that does not fit the mold of your typical American military hero. The Bush Administration can not be very happy about any of this resurfacing because it is clearly damning. The people responsible for this should be brought to justice, but that seems pretty unlikely.… Expand
  5. willlybrand
    Feb 8, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sitting down to write about the “The Tillman Story” makes me recall the same emotions that the movie evokes, and frustration is at the forefront. I want to start by writing about the premise, the story of an intelligent young man who was a successful football player, who ended up dying while fighting in war. But that is exactly what Pat Tillman, the late protagonist, wouldn’t want. In addition, Pat Tillman was the only thing the country was talking about for several months in 2004. And then I want to extol the artistic merits of the story-telling in this movie, and how it carefully peels away at the truth behind his death. But ultimately the film-making qualities aren’t what make this movie worth seeing. After that, I want to explain why “The Tillman Story” is simultaneously wonderful and terrible… wonderful in that it shines light on a shadow that deserves to be exposed, but terrible for how the viewer feels after seeing what was there. It is not the movie itself that is terrible, but instead how the story makes you feel after seeing it. But these descriptions are better left for the movie to tell. “The Tillman Story” is worth seeing, and even more so if you are an American. It provides glimpses into the US military complex and it’s mechanisms of self preservation. It details a family’s experience with the death of one of their own. It will give you a mix of reactions and emotions, with no real final answer to the issues at stake. If you are looking for a light-hearted romp, or a documentary about the latest easy-going topic-du-jour, “The Tillman Story” isn’t the right place to start. I rated this movie 5/5 stars because director Amir Bar-Lev succeeds on all counts .… Expand
  6. Save_the_Earth
    Apr 19, 2011
    3
    A fact which could be fully explained in just 5 minutes is attempted to be shown like a fascinating mystery, but unfortunately has terribly failed. Very boring and almost pointless.
  7. filmtrashreview
    Jun 13, 2011
    6
    The Tillman Story is great but after about an hour it just gets repetitive. I get it we all look for answers from our government and sometimes they cover things up. After finding out the coverup, the film just turns into a simpathic bit to morn Pat Tillman's life.
  8. rmyers1000
    Mar 22, 2012
    9
    Truth, justice and the American way. 21st century style. What's sad is how we have all become so accepting of this crappy world we have created. Pat wasn't - but he's dead.
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 28 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. NPR
    Reviewed by: Bob Mondello
    90
    The Tillman Story is ferocious filmmaking, but it wouldn't have half the force it does if the director didn't also get at the complicated man Pat Tillman was.
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  2. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Joe Neumaier
    100
    Mary's search drives The Tillman Story, and throughout this taut, true epic, we see a smart, sometimes angry, always loving family find their destiny: to speak truth to power, to call wartime myths what they are and to show how the American character is not about blind obedience.
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  3. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Kyle Smith
    50
    The Tillman Story purports to be an exposι of the cover-up of the death by friendly fire of the Army Ranger and one time NFL star Pat Tillman. But, provocative and colorful as the film is, it does the very thing it denounces -- massaging the facts to seize Tillman for a political agenda.
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