[Review] — SOMETHING TO STAND FOR

Just in time to celebrate July 4th is Mike Rowe's SOMETHING TO STAND FOR, a 99-minute film written by Rowe himself. Take a grand tour of Washington, DC, with America's favorite storyteller. This cinematic tour de force transports viewers to the front lines of the American Revolution, World War II, the Civil Rights movement, and more, drawing on his popular podcast "The Way I Heard It." 

Go see SOMETHING TO STAND FOR in theaters starting June 27th. Tickets can be purchased at www.fathomevents.com/events/something-to-stand-for-with-mike-rowe/.

I don't know what I was getting into when I started watching SOMETHING TO STAND FOR—it's not a movie, and it's not exactly a documentary. It's more of a mix-match of the two. The 99-minute film—counting a short introduction by Mike Rowe—is a series of brief historical stories narrated by Rowe, featuring our founding fathers, pre-US presidents, and war veterans. These stories get intertwined by short segments of Rowe visiting historical landmarks, such as Arlington Cemetery, and asking why the younger generation is defacing our historical landmarks and trying to erase our country's past. 

Fans of Mike Rowe will enjoy SOMETHING TO STAND FOR. While Rowe says in the introduction that the film keeps politics out of the equation, it does feel like it was made for the right side rather than the left, though no matter what party you are for, you can still enjoy the film for what it stands for—patriotism.

Now, I hate to be negative here—but SOMETHING TO STAND FOR feels more like those odd History Channel historical miniseries, ones with live-action reenactments mixed in with interviews with historians. SOMETHING TO STAND FOR never shows historians, just Mike Rowe telling the stories to the audience. The film would be a better fit as a series than a film. But what do I know? Maybe there is a SOMETHING TO STAND FOR series with Mike Rowe as the host. 

As for the stories told in SOMETHING TO STAND FOR, most were new to me, except for the Nichelle Nichols / Dr. Martin Luther King story. I'm a Star Trek fan, so I've already heard of this tale, and it was my favorite segment from SOMETHING TO STAND FOR. 

Overall, I liked SOMETHING TO STAND FOR; there's a good message in telling stories about our country's heroes, so their stories will live forever in the hearts of others. ╌★★★★✰

Disclosure: Many thanks to TBN for providing a screener for this review. My opinions are 100% my own.