Writing the Patriot Act…
Sunday night I went to the first LA screening of a “home movie” by Jeffrey Ross, Patriot Act. He’s calling it a home movie but there is no International Home Movie Association so it screened as part of a screening series that the International Documentary Association (IDA) puts together. There was a terrific crowd. Pretty good for a Sunday night in a bar in West Hollywood.
Jeff brings along his $600 camcorder on a week long USO tour with Drew Carey and other comedians entertaining U.S. soldiers stationed around Iraq’s Sunni Triangle. No sound guy, no crew, just him. And sometimes just him holding the camera on himself. “Someone stole my Ambien.” The film is funny and brutalizing at the same time. The reality that these soldiers are living is painful to watch. Making the comedians journey even more important. Seems that all they want is taste of home.
The audience seemed sometimes stunned, but still laughing at the humor in the face of a war.
