In the military, a position of honor comes with minute rules, regulations and codes of conduct. You are not only representing yourself, you are representing the United States of America. It takes a special person to hold up under all of the scrutiny. Emotionally it takes a toll.
The Messenger, starring Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster is about two soldiers who have been entrusted with the task of notifying families whose loved ones have been killed overseas. Everything is mapped out for them, the words to say, what to do, what not to do, every contingency is considered and answered for. But what the manual doesn’t tell you is how to sleep at night, or how to keep from reaching out when you see someone else in pain. These are matters that you must work out for yourself.
Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster) is the rookie of the notification team. After being wounded, he has three months left on his contract with the Army and they have decided to place him with Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) until his hitch is up. Captain Stone’s commanding officer sees something in Staff Sergeant Montgomery and thinks that the two will work well together. Stone is ordered to teach Montgomery the ropes. They are both hoping that Montgomery will re-enlist.
The Messenger is an emotional tale. Witnessing families receive the worst possible news is heart wrenching and hard to take. Samantha Morton plays the wife of a deceased soldier. Her uncharacteristic reaction haunts Will as he tries to blot out the day with loud music and alcohol. He cannot get this graceful woman out of his mind. Steve Buscemi also stars as a grieving father who renders a more violent reaction and Jenna Malone plays Will’s childhood sweetheart who is now marrying another man. These men are trained not react in the most stressful of circumstances, no matter what. They are men of character, but they are also repressed. This film will give you a whole new appreciation for these men and what they do. It is one of the most difficult jobs there is, but for a soldier, it is a position of honor.
Rating: First Run A closer look at extraordinary men, doing an extraordinary job
About Me
- Melanie Wilson
- My Reviewer's Philosophy: I believe that every film has its audience. One man’s Citizen Kane is another man’s Texas Chain Saw Massacre. My purpose is to help you spend your entertainment dollars wisely. A bad review never kept me from going to a film I wanted to see, but a good review will sometimes get me to a film I never considered. As a movie lover I want you to go to the movies. When more people go to the movies, the more movies get made. But, I also believe that if you enjoy the films you see, you naturally will be inclined to go more often. So join me in supporting our film industry by going to a movie today. Hopefully I can steer you towards a good one. See you at the movies. Melanie Wilson
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment