'Father Soldier Son' follows 1 family over 10 years in new Netflix documentary

"I don't want my kids to go through what I went through."
By Sam Haysom  on 
'Father Soldier Son' follows 1 family over 10 years in new Netflix documentary
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Father Soldier Son looks like the documentary equivalent of Richard Linklater's Boyhood.

In the trailer, which Netflix dropped on Thursday, we get a glimpse of one U.S. military family over the course of a 10-year period, following as the two young sons grow up and their dad, a U.S. platoon sergeant, loses part of his leg after being shot.

The documentary, a Netflix Original from the New York Times, is described as an "intergenerational exploration of the meaning of sacrifice, purpose and American manhood in the aftermath of war."

Based on the footage in the trailer, which includes the father's struggle to recover from his injury and possible PTSD, it won't be an easy watch.

"I do want to have kids eventually," says one of his sons, in a voiceover towards the end. "And I don't want my kids to go through what I went through."

It's worth noting that Father Soldier Son isn't the only documentary to film over a lengthy period of time — the BBC's Child of Our Time, which began in 2000 and followed 25 children born in the millennium, has run for 20 years.

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Sam Haysom

Sam Haysom is the Deputy UK Editor for Mashable. He covers entertainment and online culture, and writes horror fiction in his spare time.


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