"Something to Stand For" Movie Review

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The new documentary Something to Stand For feels like a perfect antidote to the political divisions of today. Featuring Mike Rowe (Dirty Jobs), it’s a feature about great patriots and how they were able to overcome historical circumstances to become legendary historical figures.

Rowe begins the feature in a conversational style with the audience. He visits a local diner and drives a pick-up truck, attempting to connect with viewers. Then, he embarks on a road trip where he visits Washington D.C. and narrates stories about American history. These stories, which are adapted from stories he wrote for his popular podcast, are historical anecdotes about important periods in American history. 

Oftentimes appearing in a seemingly empty theater, Rowe discusses these historical events offering a unique perspective. The feature includes re-enactments of those scenes but the restaging of events oftentimes misleads the audience into thinking one event is on display while it’s actually a completely different thing. It's easy to make assumptions about the events on display but that's when Rowe oftentimes reveals what the viewer is really witnessing.

The framing by director Jonathan Coussens and Rowe make some of these scenes really intriguing to watch. A sequence about one-percenters, for instance, is presented one way until the story suddenly changes shape, presenting a far more intriguing tale.  Rowe isn’t out to change people’s perspectives here but he does seem to be encouraging audiences to look at history in a fresh, more contemporary way.

It's easy to think that today's political debates and discussions are new and unique but Rowe reminds us that some many of them are ones this country has faced before (and will likely do so again). 

It would be spoiling things to note which stories Rowe focuses on but many of them are well-known historical tales simply framed in a different, more personal way. That’s one way in which the storytellers here succeed. This isn’t historical anecdotes taken out of a history book. They are more vibrant and rich than that.

While the reframing of stories works and so do the compelling re-enactments, some of the moments depicting Rowe in a seemingly-empty theater seem a little off. One only wishes that those moments were depicted in a more personal and genuine way. It seems strange to make the historical stories feel so personal while also featuring Rowe sitting impersonally at a table in an empty theater.

Despite its 96-minute running time, there’s a lot packed into this film. While some of these stories cover familiar ground, others are less well-known. All of them, however, are insightful and thoroughly engaging. By the end of the feature, it’s hard not to feel the patriotic fervor that the filmmakers brought to the screen here.

In a time when politics feels so divided, it’s really exciting and profound to be reminded of some great historical stories that show what this country can be all about.

Enter to win tickets to see the film here!

Watch Eric Metaxas' interview with Mike Rowe here.

Watch Dennis Prager's interview with Mike Rowe here.

Mike Rowe Celebrates Great Americans Who Risked It All In 'Something To Stand For' from tbn-trailers on GodTube.