''Missing in America'' is a 2005

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

, produced, and written by Gabrielle Savage Dockterman. It is based on a story by Ken Miller, a former

Green Beret The green beret was the official headdress of the British Commandos of the Second World War. It is still worn by members of the Royal Marines after passing the Commando Course, and personnel from other units of the Royal Navy, Army and RAF wh ...

who was a helicopter pilot in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...

. The film debuted at the

Seattle International Film Festival The Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees. The SIFF runs for more th ...

in May 2005.

Plot

Jake (played by Danny Glover), a reclusive

veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that h ...

, has lived in a cabin in the woods of the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Tho ...

for 35 years, plagued with guilt over the loss of men under his command. His only interaction with other people is when he drives into town to sell firewood and buy supplies from Kate (played by Linda Hamilton). His life is changed when he is visited by Henry, an ex-platoon member (played by David Strathairn). Henry is dying of lung cancer caused by exposure to Agent Orange, and entrusts the care of his half-Vietnamese daughter, Lenny, to Jake. Jake refuses, but Henry leaves in the night, leaving Lenny behind and giving Jake little choice but to look after her. Lenny proves troublesome and interrupts Jake's way of life. Over time however, Lenny encourages Jake to reach out to other veterans living nearby in self-imposed isolation.

Cast

* Danny Glover as Jake * Ron Perlman as Red *

Linda Hamilton Linda Carroll Hamilton (born September 26, 1956) is an American actress. She played Sarah Connor in the '' Terminator'' film series and Catherine Chandler in the television series ''Beauty and the Beast'' (1987–1990), for which she was nomina ...

as Kate *

Zoe Weizenbaum Zoë Weizenbaum (born September 21, 1991) is a former American actress, most recognized for her roles in Memoirs of a Geisha and 12 and Holding. Early life Weizenbaum was born in Seattle, Washington to a Jewish mother and a Chinese father. She ...

as Lenny *

David Strathairn David Russell Strathairn (; born January 26, 1949) is an American actor. Known for his leading roles on stage and screen, he has often portrayed historical figures such as Edward R. Murrow, J. Robert Oppenheimer, William H. Seward, and John Do ...

as Henry

References

External links

Official site
* * 2005 films 2005 drama films 2000s English-language films American drama films {{2000s-drama-film-stub