Bulletproof Salesman

Fidelis Cloer is a salesman of German armored passenger vehicles. This documentary follows him over five years, starting in 2003, as he looks for business in Iraq and later Afghanistan. Upon arriving in Baghdad, Cloer makes a cold call on the Iraqi government but is frustrated by an initial lack of interest. He remarks that the later advent of the insurgency boosted his business as attacks correlate to sales. There are bizarre moments such as when one customer tests the bullet-stopping qualities of a car—with Cloer in it. Cloer is very open about making money from war, but he seems genuinely dismayed by the violence. This compelling look at how one man overcomes physical peril and ethical doubts to ply his trade will resonate with most viewers, especially those connected to or interested in the business of war. [Recently broadcast on HBO.—Ed.]—Lawrence R. Maxted, Gannon Univ. Lib., Erie, PA