Review: National Geographic's "Love+War" Immerses Viewers in the Harsh Realities and Risks of Photojournalist Lynsey Addario's Life

After over 2 decades of risking her life to explore the realities of war around the world, National Geographic’s Love + War is taking viewers behind the scenes of Pulitzer Prize winning photo journalist Lynsey Addario.

For many Americans, the idea of living through war feels like an abstract concept. We see horrific scenes around the world through photographs and video footage, but the realities of international conflict remain outside of our scope. However, journalists around the world have stepped both feet into the intense and dangerous scenes of these brutal conflicts just to provide humanity with an honest view of life within it.  

For the United States in particular, September 11th, 2001 was a wake up call for our safety and comfort. Photojournalist Lynsey Addario is no exception to this reality check. Beginning her career in the late 1990s as a freelance photographer, Addario gained notoriety for her coverage of the Afghanistan war, post 9/11. Since then, she has dedicated her life to covering war zones in Iraq, Libya, Ukraine, and beyond. Addario’s photography has appeared in major publications like The New York Times and National Geographic, earning her a Pulitzer Prize and a MacArthur “Genius" Grant for her contributions to journalism.

National Geographic’s new documentary Love+War is ready to bring you into her risk-filled, yet passionate life. Her work comes with serious risks. She’s been kidnapped twice while reporting in war zones, a reality she has to face every time she says goodbye to her husband and two sons. Behind the camera, Addario constantly navigates the pull between her commitment to journalism and the demands of her personal life and family, wrestling with what it means to stay true to her calling when it puts everything she loves at risk. Including intense coverage, footage of warzones, interviews, and more, Love+War is ready to showcase the hard work of the amazing people who make sure we see the truth of humanity.

I had the chance to check out Love+War before its official release, and, with the highest praise, it is a tough watch. Running in at an hour and a half, the documentary takes viewers on a wide scope of her career, including the death and horror she has seen in her nearly 30 years of experience. Also facing the realities of sexism throughout the world and in the journalist industry, Addario’s grace, gumption, and grit have taken her through the glass ceiling and into an extraordinary career. Kicking off the documentary, viewers are thrown into the Russian and Ukrainian war. Quickly, we see explosions, attacks, and high end destruction. This includes hard to watch scenes of dead bodies, gore, and other images that may not be suitable for younger audiences.

Beyond the harsh realities of war, Love+War highlights the personal struggles of Addario’s life, putting herself at death’s doorstep just to share the horrific stories of conflict. It offers an incomparable glimpse at the realities photojournalists face, which saw Addario kidnapped, interrogated, and put at risk just to force the world to see the truth behind war.

While maybe not something I would be immediately inclined to watch, it is definitely a powerful and stirring watch that brings perspective and respect for the work of Lynsey Addario and other photojournalists around the globe. You can catch Love+War on National Geographic on November 6th at 9/8c, with streaming on Disney+ beginning on November 7th.

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