The boys, Ralph and Scott, hitchhike home from college, arriving on Easter morning and shout their greetings across the glen to their family during a lakeside Easter Sunrise service, much to the amusement of Ralph's younger sister, Beth, and mother, Ev, and embarrassment of Scott's mother, Jessie, and father, Cliff. Later that day, they drive Scott's older brother, Alden, who's shipping off to Vietnam, to the bus depot; Alden pushes Scott when Scott says that his Marine brother is afraid to go to Vietnam. They begin fighting until their father arrives wondering what is going on. A few weeks later, Scott and Ralph again return home from college to attend Beth's high school graduation, where they learn that Alden has disappeared and is considered Missing in Action. Scott learns that Ralph has flunked out of college. Ralph and Scott hatch a plan to steal their files from the local draft board office, but they are caught, and Ralph is arrested. Scott is now determined to avoid Ralph's fate and plans to leave town and head to Canada to avoid the draft. Scott invites Beth to travel in his van on his trip out of town and to stay away until the end of the war. They admit their attraction to each other. Later, the two decide to visit Ralph in jail to tell him that they are leaving. Scott and Beth get to the Canada–US border and are about to cross but have a change of heart and head back to Maryland. When they get home, they learn of Alden's death. Scott leads a huge march downtown in the midst of Alden's funeral, where Ralph is released from jail and the two friends are reunited.
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 55% based on reviews from 11 critics. Rita Kempley of The Washington Post wrote, " 1969, the directorial debut of Ernest Thompson, is an aimless drama, its purpose and promise lost in a thicket of false endings and a fog of nostalgia". Janet Maslin of The New York Times described how "Mr. Dern, unusually laconic here, is unexpectedly moving as the character who seems most confused by changing times. Variety said, "Affecting memories and good intentions don't always add up to good screen stories, and such is the case in 1969, one of the murkiest reflections on the Vietnam War era yet, notwithstanding good performances all around and bright packaging of Kiefer Sutherland and Robert Downey Jr. in the leads."
Box office
The film was a box office bomb, grossing $5,979,011 against a $37 million budget.
Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack consists of original period rock. However, it also includes a notable re-recording of The Youngbloods' classic hit "Get Together", performed as a solo by Youngbloods lead singer, Jesse Colin Young.
