Home of the Brave
Irwin Winkler's latest film Home of the Brave depicts what happens in the lives of four soldiers returning from Iraq. And while it is not a political film it definitely sends a message. The film is well directed by Winkler and was co-written by him and Mark Friedman. All of the acting is very good.
The film starts out with several soldiers going on a routine mission but you just know that things will go wrong. A truck stops and guns start firing so some of the soldiers start to head back to headquarters. But before they get to their destinations there are some casualties.
After some intense battle scenes we are fast forwarded to Spokane, Washington where the rest of the story takes place. Before I go any farther with the story I must tell you that all of these soldiers are in the National Guard and not just regular enlistees.
Samuel L. Jackson plays a doctor who attended to the wounded in Iraq. When he comes home he finds it hard to relate to his family and he has trouble sleeping. His relationship with his teenage son Billy (Sam Jones III) is particularly inflammatory because Billy is against the war. Jackson's character hits rock bottom when his drinking gets out of control and he has to seek help.
Vanessa Price (Jessica Biel) is a young single mother who loses her hand in the above mentioned incident. After a month of therapy she goes home but is unable to relate to the people in her life and is having trouble adjusting to her prosthetic hand.
Jamal Atkins (Curtis Jackson AKA 50 Cent) has a back injury from his time in Iraq. He also carries around something in his head that will not let him rest. Jamal is frustrated because his girlfriend doesn't want to bother with him and he is having trouble getting compensation from the government for his injury.
Tommy (Brian Presley) can't get over the fact that his best friend was killed in Iraq. He feels a great deal of responsibility for this and can't get this out of his mind. His girlfriend dumped him and the man who he worked before going to Iraq for gave his job to someone else. He isn't getting along with his father and he just can't settle into another job.
These are the four stories and people that the film focuses on. I really got involved with these people's lives and I really felt for them. Each one of them was in so much pain. I like the fact that the film focused on people from different backgrounds and social spheres. The film also lets people with opposing views of the war speak their minds.
But first and foremost this film wants to show us the horror that war is. And whether you are for this war or against it (as I am) you can't help but be moved by this film. And that is enough for me to recommend it.
The film starts out with several soldiers going on a routine mission but you just know that things will go wrong. A truck stops and guns start firing so some of the soldiers start to head back to headquarters. But before they get to their destinations there are some casualties.
After some intense battle scenes we are fast forwarded to Spokane, Washington where the rest of the story takes place. Before I go any farther with the story I must tell you that all of these soldiers are in the National Guard and not just regular enlistees.
Samuel L. Jackson plays a doctor who attended to the wounded in Iraq. When he comes home he finds it hard to relate to his family and he has trouble sleeping. His relationship with his teenage son Billy (Sam Jones III) is particularly inflammatory because Billy is against the war. Jackson's character hits rock bottom when his drinking gets out of control and he has to seek help.
Vanessa Price (Jessica Biel) is a young single mother who loses her hand in the above mentioned incident. After a month of therapy she goes home but is unable to relate to the people in her life and is having trouble adjusting to her prosthetic hand.
Jamal Atkins (Curtis Jackson AKA 50 Cent) has a back injury from his time in Iraq. He also carries around something in his head that will not let him rest. Jamal is frustrated because his girlfriend doesn't want to bother with him and he is having trouble getting compensation from the government for his injury.
Tommy (Brian Presley) can't get over the fact that his best friend was killed in Iraq. He feels a great deal of responsibility for this and can't get this out of his mind. His girlfriend dumped him and the man who he worked before going to Iraq for gave his job to someone else. He isn't getting along with his father and he just can't settle into another job.
These are the four stories and people that the film focuses on. I really got involved with these people's lives and I really felt for them. Each one of them was in so much pain. I like the fact that the film focused on people from different backgrounds and social spheres. The film also lets people with opposing views of the war speak their minds.
But first and foremost this film wants to show us the horror that war is. And whether you are for this war or against it (as I am) you can't help but be moved by this film. And that is enough for me to recommend it.
posted by Film Fanatic | 8:06 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home