Paying Tribute tells the story of a veteran named George who hiked the entire 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail to honor his fallen comrades. Directed by Angus Benfield and Kendall Bryant, The Keeper follows George as he carries the name tags of 363 veterans who lost their lives to suicide.
After losing his best friend in a failed attempt, George sets out on a solo mission to raise awareness of the crisis among former military members. He hopes his journey will prevent others from sharing the same tragic fate.
On his walk from Maine to Georgia, George encounters other hiker veterans who provide company and meaning along the way. Their shared bond and understanding offer solace during challenging times on the trail. While shouldering immense grief, George discovers healing and purpose through celebrating the lives of those he carries with him each step of the nature-filled path.
A Veteran’s Heavy Burden
After losing yet another friend to suicide, Army veteran George decides to take action. He sets out on a multi-state hike while shouldering the dog tags of 363 fellow service members who also lost to suicide. From Maine all the way to Georgia, George walks the Appalachian Trail on a journey to raise awareness.
His pack weighs heavy with the names of the fallen, as do his thoughts. But George is not alone for this trial. Along the way, he frequently crosses paths with others hiking the trail—and often they too are veterans battling demons of their own. There’s Sophie, struggling under the weight of past trauma. The easygoing trio of Anthony, Wade, and Michael offer respite with humor but wrestle inner wars as well.
As the miles pass, George and this assembly of soldiers find solace in one another. Through open fireside talks that dive deep, they face their pain and triggers together. Though the landscape changes around them, their bond grows—and so does George’s purpose. He persists not just to honor the lost but to prevent future loss through outreach.
Halfway into the grueling journey, a haunting secret from George’s past almost makes him falter. It’s Sophie who sets him straight again with tough love. Their encounter leaves George more determined than ever to complete his mission. Support and new resolve carry him the remaining distance to the trail’s end, where a goodbye awaits that provides one last, poignant twist.
Though heavy in theme, The Keeper weaves beauty among the burden. Its veteran characters exude resilience while retaining their scars. They find that together, feet can keep moving forward even when memory strains to hold them back.
Honoring the Fallen, Helping the Living
Woven through this trek are poignant themes of mental health, sacrifice, and fellowship. Chief among them is the silent crisis of veteran suicide—an “epidemic hiding in plain sight.”. George shoulders the weight of this epidemic literally, bearing 363 fallen comrades’ names as a reminder and tribute.
But the film conveys that the true burden lies not in miles hiked or tags carried, but within each soul struggling alone. Flashbacks to George’s past show us the roots of his pain, while side characters open up about their private wars. Through their voices, we glimpse the lasting scars of combat, unseen wounds that fester in isolation.
Time and again, the film’s message is that no one needs to go it alone. As George walks with ghosts on his back, living veterans walk with him—and in walking together, they rediscover purpose through helping one another. Simple acts of fellowship on the Trail provide what time alone could not: a reminder that each person has value and that your brothers still stand by your side even years after the war.
Beyond suicide awareness, The Keeper presents finding purpose and community as keys to survival. By sharing stories under the stars, these veterans replace loneliness with brotherhood. George’s mission transforms from one of remembrance to prevention, as he learns healing lies not in the past but in saving today’s lives. His trek becomes a journey of both honoring history and building a better future.
At its heart, this tale suggests that while we cannot change the scars of war or the sins of the past, we can change tomorrow by being present for one another today. By making space to listen, to understand, and to offer hope, each person gains power to lighten the load that would otherwise crush us beneath its weight alone. The film’s closing message is one of resilience, redemption, and care among comrades—a moving reminder of our shared humanity.
Raw and Heartfelt: The Cast Finds the Soul of the Story
At the heart of this film is Angus Benfield, who plays the role of George with deep feeling. It’s clear he connected deeply with the real man’s struggles, bringing George’s quiet resolve and inner turmoil to life. Subtle shifts in his expression speak volumes. In slower moments, you see haunted memories rise, but faced with darkness, George steels his will. Benfield ensures we feel this inner fight with each labored step. His connection to the cause also resonates, igniting hope that others might join this mission.
Yet George is not the only one bearing burdens. Haley Babula delivers one of the story’s most affecting arcs as Peanut. Under gruff banter lie wounds barely healing. In an unflinching scene, she lets down walls, describing trauma that leaves deep marks. Babula makes clear the resilience needed to go on while carrying such weight. Her Peanut brings perspective that challenges while supporting George, showing the transformational power of shared humanity.
Throughout, those joining George along the trail bring dimensionality to an ensemble that feels authentic. Bacon, Nicholas Asad brings tact and humor. Michael Maclane is all bold spirit as Mini-Me. Andrew Ferguson brings seriousness and care as Taz. Each walks alongside yet recognizes the uniqueness of each other’s scars. Their bond feels real, holding space for George to open up and keep walking in the hardest of times.
From veterans to filmmakers, commitment to honoring truth runs through every frame. Under Benfield’s direction, each struggles with grace through challenges both physical and internal. In the end, together they ensure we feel not only the statistics but individual souls behind this critical issue. The cast brings this story of healing on the trail to vibrant life, educating hearts as much as minds.
Capturing Truth on the Trail
Shot entirely on location along the Appalachian Trail, this film feels grounded from start to finish. Director Benfield transports viewers straight into the natural beauty that sustained George through every step of his journey. From Maine’s Mount Katahdin to Georgia’s Springer Mountain, the terrain shape-shifts endlessly—yet the trails and challenges remain the same. This consistency of setting parallels George’s resolute spirit, always pushing ahead through any conditions.
Gliding steadicam clips follow George as he walks, with only ambient sound allowing full focus on surroundings. Repetition of these intimate moments builds appreciation for both place and character. When George waves, the looming mountains emphasize one man’s solitary struggle against vast pressures. But fellowship along the way brings George back to life, their joyful banter and campfire concerts punctuating bleak stretches.
subtler directorial touches also impact key emotional notes. A tight close-up captures pain flickering across Peanut’s face as buried scars resurface. Shaky handheld shots of George’s final push to Georgia’s end heighten each footfall’s weight until release comes with Springer Mountain’s vista. Simple techniques magnify inner terrain as potently as the physical.
While the plot is kept loose to honor realism, Benfield shapes each chance meeting purposefully. Veterans’ stories interconnect like how their disjointed paths now reconverge along this one trail. Their brevity leaves room for audience interpretation too, just as the Trail’s mysteries persist. Through it all, Benfield lets the essence of place tell its own story alongside George’s, bringing this film’s heartening message to powerful life.
A Mission Worth Remembering
This film sets out on a bold mission—to shine a light on veteran mental health struggles and prevent further loss of life. Does it fully achieve this? Perhaps the message gets repetitive at times. But there’s no arguing with George’s dedication as he walks mile after mile, name after name. His story reminds us that behind each sad statistic lies a whole person who sacrificed for their country.
By prioritizing authentic locations and real veteran participation, The Keeper grounds complex issues in human experience. It brings us face-to-face with fellow citizens, too often forgotten. While not a perfect work, its heart is resolutely in the right place. Some may wish for deeper exploration of root causes. But if this film persuades just a few extra folks to reach out to a vet in need to advocate for change, its mission can be called successful.
For its unvarnished treatment of topics too often restricted to hushed whispers and its tribute to those who fell when they came home, The Keeper deserves commendation. I encourage you to see it both for its story and to consider the real struggles still ongoing today. On the trail or off, some battles never truly end—but together, through understanding and community, we can walk alongside our veterans towards brighter days. Let this film be a start down that long and faithful path.
The Review
The Keeper
While not a cinematically polished work, The Keeper achieves its goal of raising awareness about the critical issue of veteran suicide through an earnest retelling of George Eshleman's journey. Despite a repetitive narrative structure, the film effectively highlights the human stories behind the statistics and importance of community in overcoming mental health struggles. While it may not please all viewers, The Keeper delivers a heartfelt message that deserves to be heard.
PROS
- Authentic filming locations along the real Appalachian Trail
- Heartfelt performances that felt truly committed to the meaningful message
- Shed important light on the tragic issue of veteran suicide.
- Delivered its message in a generally straightforward, unsensationalized manner
CONS
- The narrative structure became repetitive by rehashing the mission at each meeting.
- Didn't fully explore root causes behind veterans' mental health struggles.
- Rather simplistic and one-dimensional at times due to low budget limitations
- May not have appeal beyond targeted veteran and outdoor enthusiast audiences.
