Danger Close

2017 • 86 minutes

About this movie

DANGER CLOSE follows freelance female war reporter Alex Quade and her mission to tell “soldiers' stories” during a series of unprecedented embeds with both Conventional Forces and US Special Operations Forces (SOF) at the height of the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Alex is bound and determined to compete the mission, even when on one airborne assault and ensuing rescue attempt, she nearly loses her life trying to tell the stories of these Heroes. During one highly-classified combat mission in Iraq, she would embed with a Green Beret A Team that had just lost their Combat Engineer, Green Beret SSG Rob Perelli. When an injured Alex ends up back in the States to rehab and prepare to redeploy, little does she know just how pivotal her redeployment would become. Through a series of compelling events and a fated meeting with Rob Pirelli’s family, her return to Iraq turns into the mission of a lifetime.

Ratings and reviews

Danger Close is a documentary that understands the connection between format and content. While many documentaries surrounding a military subject spend focus on elaborate shots and astronomical cameras, Alex Quade shoots footage that is laser-guided on putting the audience right into the thick of tense situations, firefights and intrigue. Quade is the only journalist granted this intimate access to the U.S. Special Forces, and though this unprecedented access is a source of pride in the advertising for the movie, the true success is that it translates into every frame of this courageous ride. One thing is certain; this is a visceral military documentary that also finds a rich heart in its story. Quade’s path truly synthesizes with that of fallen Green Beret Robert Pirelli, but also with his family and the operatives who escort her 300 miles through the Iraq/Iran border. In this way, Danger Close is a rare treat for fans of this subject matter, communicating the instinct-driven nature of combat without neglecting the human element at the core of our veteran’s lives. I recommend Danger Close to any fan of the genre, as well as those seeking insight as to how the chosen few live.

Danger Close has become my favorite documentary in the Heroes of Valor Collection. The movie shows not only the importance of our troops but also our journalists. Not many people know the danger that our reporters are willing to put themselves in just to get the true story of what is really going on in the world. Alex Quade is a freelance war reporter that gives a new look into the what our troops really go through on a day to day basis. Quade never gives up, even when injured in the field. At one point of the movie I found myself feeling nervous for Quade and the special forces unit she was traveling with. They were in a high stress situation that really captures the dangers of war. Even the very beginning of the movie shows an everyday dangerous situation that our troops and journalists often find themselves in. The plane that was intended to carry Quade was shot down, and everyone inside ended up passing away. It is an eye opening start that reaffirms how much our troops and journalists are willing to go through to serve our great nation. Our troops sacrifice so much to protect our country the least that we can do is try and give back, and that is just what Quade does. A beloved

Honoring the brave sacrifices of our troops, Danger Close is an inspiring documentary that tells the story of war reporter Alex Quade’s journey to preserve the legacy of a fallen soldier, Rob Pirelli. I love movies that recognize and cherish the difficult work that our soldiers do, and Danger Close does just that. The scenes from the movie that use raw footage from Iraq show us firsthand the hardships that our troops face, while the scenes with Rob’s family back home give us an insight into the struggles that military families face. Danger Close is a great documentary to watch if you want a humbling, authentic story.