"The Way We Get By" is much more than a documentary about older volunteers who greet American troops returning from Afghanistan and Iraq at Bangor International Airport. It's also a look into the lives of three very different senior citizens, and how standing day after day to shake the hands of soldiers gives them the courage to face their own travails.
Bill, Jean and Jerry might seem like any other trio of oldsters you might happen to meet. All are widowed, live alone and speak with the distinctive stretched vowels of a Maine accent. During the course of filming, each of them faces the normal set of physical challenges of people in their 70s and 80s -- two of them requiring hospitalization.
Day after day, these people and many like them line up at the airport to greet the troops returning from oversea. Because of its location, a huge chunk of those serving in the Middle East come through Bangor. It's not much -- a handshake, a pat on the shoulder, a hearty "thank you." But as director Aron Gaudet shows, it means a lot to the soldiers themselves.
Although the film occasionally drags and gets caught up in the mundane details of its subjects' lives, it remains an interesting look at what motivates people to do for others.
Bill, the lead greeter, talks about how those serving in Vietnam got a raw deal, not even able to bask in the gratitude of the general populace upon returning home. He's determined not to let it happen again.
Bill has a farmhouse that is so filled with junk, he can barely traverse the floors covered with piles of pet food cans. A filmmaker counts 25 old vacuum cleaners in his barn. Clearly, Bill is not the sort to let things go easily.
In one emotionally naked moment, Bill -- who is suffering from what he calls "prostrate cancer" -- admits that his own life means little to him. It's only in interacting with the soldiers that he finds a usefulness that allows him to keep going.
Joan's connection to the soldiers is more tangible. Two of her grandchildren are about to be deployed to Iraq, including a granddaughter who is a helicopter pilot. It's not surprising, then, that Joan is always available to greet the returning troops, even in the wee hours of the morning, but can't bring herself to serve on the crew for those going out.
Jerry is a big, affable guy whose only real relationship seems to be with his dog, Flannigan. When the dog has to be put down, Jerry loses his way just a little bit. But not for long.
"The Way We Get By" is not a pro-war movie. Several of the oldsters express reservations about the reasons for invading Iraq. But as many people give lip service to "supporting the troops," this trio and many others show us what it actually means.
3.5 Yaps