Summary
- The Keeper has revealed a new clip showing Angus Benfield's George Eshleman preparing to trek the Appalachian Trail.
- The upcoming movie is based on a true story of a U.S. Military veteran's battle with PTSD, depression, and suicidal tendencies.
- The Keeper hits stateside silver screens on May 24.
The Best War Games can exclusively reveal a new clip from The Keeper. The excerpt offers an introduction to some of the characters from the upcoming film, which is set to hit theaters nationwide ahead of Memorial Day.
The Keeper is based on the true story of George Eshleman, a U.S. Army veteran who participated in the Gulf War, specifically Operation Desert Storm. After losing a close friend to suicide, Eshleman decided to honor them by hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2015 with their name tape. He announced his plan on Facebook, which prompted a slew of requests from people asking him to also bring the name tapes honoring their own late loved ones. And while he complied with many of those requests ahead of his departure, what he didn't tell anyone at the time was that he had no intention of coming home; the journey was meant to end with him taking his own life somewhere in the wilderness.
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Eshleman fortunately managed to overcome his demons during the 2,100-mile trek from Maine to Georgia, with The Keeper serving as a dramatized version of his journey, which motivated him to dedicate himself to veteran suicide prevention. The Best War Games can now exclusively reveal a clip from the upcoming movie, which shows one of its early scenes and introduces viewers to the protagonist. Eshleman is played by Angus Benfield, an Australian-born actor and filmmaker with dozens of acting credits to his name, including NCIS: Los Angeles, The Post, and the Netflix miniseries Inventing Anna. Benfield also co-directed the film alongside Kendall Bryant Jr., in addition to serving as one of its producers.
The clip itself depicts Eshleman at the start of his journey, while he's preparing to embark on the demanding trek. His bundle of 363 name tapes is also shown in the scene, with Sophie "Peanut" Champoux, played by Haley Babula, offering to hold on to it for him, which the protagonist declines. Daniel Knight's character Paul is featured in the scene as well, together with Michael "Mini Me" Blanco, portrayed by Michael Maclane.
The Keeper Hits Theaters Nationwide on May 24
The real-life George Eshleman cited his bundle of military veteran name tapes as the source of his strength to overcome his suicidal thoughts, stating that it had helped him realize he was not alone in his struggle with depression and PTSD. The Keeper, titled after the "trail name" that Eshleman earned on the trek on account of his collection, aims to explore the journey that led to that realization. The movie will hit theaters ahead of Memorial Day, starting this Friday, May 24.
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