Disappearance of McKinley Nolan

Disappearance of McKinley Nolan is probably one of the most intriguing I’ve seen in a while due to the mystery of McKinley Nolan’s disappearance. I went in not knowing much about the subject and with only spotty knowledge of the Vietnam War. Interestingly, I left not knowing much more. My initial thought, that the progression of the documentary is complicated, is likely due to my lack of understanding about the history of the era. I think having a better understanding  – not just about Vietnam but also Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge – would be extremely helpful when viewing this documentary just to provide greater context. Situationally, I don’t think it’s the filmmaker’s job to educate because that would make this documentary into more of a History Channel special than the story of a family trying to find one of their own. Interestingly, the filmmakers never try to force their viewpoints or ideas on the viewers; they try to present the facts and allow the viewer to draw his or her own conclusion.

McKinley Nolan’s disappearance is a mystery, and that feeling is kept throughout the entirety of the documentary. Henry Corra used both current footage and archived film footage to piece together his documentary. The story is highly interesting, particularly given the emotional element of Michael Nolan, McKinley’s brother, traveling to Vietnam and actively seeking evidence of his brother’s life there. He interviews people who claim to have been friends with McKinley and seeks to find out more about his brother’s life in Vietnam and Cambodia. Michael doesn’t seem to avoid confronting the difficulties of his brother’s life and clearly tries to come to terms with the information he finds. Whatever I may have missed from the history side of the documentary was more than made up by watching Michael Nolan’s dogged persistence to find out the truth.