Movie Review: Blood Stripe – A Heartbreaking Look at PTSD from the Female Viewpoint

Genre: Drama

Director: Remy Auberjonois

Cast: Kate Nowlin, Tom Lipinski, Chris Sullivan, Rusty Schwimmer, Ashlie Atkinson, Ken Marks, Louis Jenkins, and Rene Auberjonois.

Produced by Schuyler Weiss, Julie Christeas, Remy Auberjonois, and Kate Nowlin

A Tandem Pictures Production in Association with WakeMUp Films

Co-written by Kate Nowlin and Remy Auberjonois

Runtime: 87 minutes

Not yet rated

My rating: ★★★★★

“Consider this; not until we are completely lost and turned around do we begin to find ourselves.” — Art

Movie Review: <i>Blood Stripe</i> – A Heartbreaking Look at PTSD from the Female Viewpoint 2

Our Sergeant has scars that are both internal and external.

As Blood Stripe opens, you hear the voice of Our Sergeant (Kate Nowlin) on the phone, saying she’s on her way home. After completing three tours as a Marine in Afghanistan, she still appears well-adjusted and happy enough when her sister-in-law Barbie (Ashlie Atkinson) picks her up from the airport. Indeed, when Our Sergeant greets her husband Rusty (Chris Sullivan), she seems perfectly normal, even down to the comedic banter between the two. As the days go by, though, despite outward appearances, inside she is anxiety-ridden, unable to eat, and fraught with sleepless nights, making it obvious Our Sergeant has wounds that go far deeper than the superficial ones she bears. The stress of a homecoming party in her honor sets her off on a downward spiral that causes an emotional break she takes out physically on Troy (Reed Sigmund), one of the party guests.

Movie Review: <i>Blood Stripe</i> – A Heartbreaking Look at PTSD from the Female Viewpoint 3

Despite the initial happy reunion, PTSD soon takes a toll on Rusty and Our Sergeant’s marriage.

Blood Stripe brings a powerful message to audiences during dialogue that highlights how long it takes for a veteran to receive the care they so desperately need. During the waiting period, it is disheartening to watch the way Rusty and Our Sergeant’s marriage begins to crumble under the weight of her emotional baggage. Her split second decision to take off for the North Woods following a disturbing conversation with her boss leads her to a camp she attended as a child. Our Sergeant’s disregard in telling Rusty where she is demonstrates her need to not only disengage from familiar people but her responsibilities at home as well. But after meeting camp owner Dot (Rusty Schwimmer), she throws herself into her work there, making it obvious she is battling more than a few inner demons.

Movie Review: <i>Blood Stripe</i> – A Heartbreaking Look at PTSD from the Female Viewpoint 4

I think The Fisherman needs Our Sergeant as much as she needs him during this time in their lives.

The thing that frustrates me about Blood Stripe is the movie never tells us the root of the emotional trauma Our Sergeant underwent to cause her to be so leery of older men. You can see the fear and distrust in her face when she meets Karl (Ken Marks), another camp worker. She fortifies her cabin door, making it impossible for anyone to enter the room without being invited. That, plus the encounter with Troy, the confrontation with her male boss, and upchucking after her initial sexual romp with Rusty after returning home, make it obvious something terrible happened to her during her time in military service. Was she raped or sexually assaulted? Despite my initial frustration, it doesn’t really matter what occurred; what matters is how she handles it. Interestingly, as difficult as it is for Our Sergeant to relate to older men, she has no problem connecting with Art (Rene Auberjonois), the minister of a church retreat group at the camp. Perhaps it’s because he’s a religious man. Nor does she turn away the advances of The Fisherman (Tom Lipinski), a young man who was mentored by Art during his prison stint—at first. But after a particularly tumultuous event in the middle of the lake, Our Sergeant returns to camp and has another breakdown of sorts. Her sobbing message to Rusty, “I want to come home, I want to come home,” is especially heartbreaking as it unfortunately goes unheard.

Director of Photography Radium Cheung is to be highly commended for the cinematography. The way the campgrounds and surrounding areas are shot makes them even more beautiful than expected. From the woods to the lake and the fields, it is almost like they are secondary characters in Blood Stripe. All evoke feelings of extreme peace, something Our Sergeant desperately needs.

Movie Review: <i>Blood Stripe</i> – A Heartbreaking Look at PTSD from the Female Viewpoint 5

Art is a wonderful infuence on everyone at the church retreat, but especially Our Sergeant.

The cast in Blood Stripe is spot on. Nowlin, who is also the film’s co-producer and co-writer, is absolutely perfect as the damaged sergeant who suffers from PTSD. She brings an unusual perspective to the screen given that men are the ones most people think about suffering the ill effects of war. Schwimmer is particularly effective as a loving mother figure who knows exactly what kind of emotional support to give Our Sergeant. Rene Auberjonois is a favorite actor of mine and absolutely steals every scene he’s in, making his spiritual leader downright adorable at times.

Blood Stripe received the U.S. Best Fiction Feature Film Award at the 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival. Additional accolades include The Audience Award at the 2016 Austin Film Festival, The John Schlesinger Award for First-Time Filmmaker at the 2016 Provincetown International Film Festival, and both the Audience Award and the Indie Vision Breakthrough Performance Award at the 2016 Twin Cities Film Festival. You will definitely miss out if you don’t see Blood Stripe. It opens in New York September 29 and in Los Angeles on October 13.

I enjoyed Blood Stripe tremendously and highly recommend it. From the acting to directing, and the dialogue to the cinematography and music, this film is definitely worth seeing. As an extremely emotional, powerful, and heartbreaking film, I suggest you bring a few tissues with you.

Check out Blood Stripe on its website at https://www.bloodstripefilm.com

Find Blood Stripe on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBloodStripe/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BloodStripeFilm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloodstripefilm/

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Linda

Love TV, movies, and books--mostly mysteries, with a good love story thrown in every now and then. I have four adopted dogs who I adore. I love trying new recipes, and enjoy eating what I make. English language perfectionist. Reading in bed, Italian food, warm weather, the beach, all types of games = favs!