Stop-Loss covers some of the same ground as In the Valley of Elah (which garnered Tommy Lee Jones an Oscar nomination), and the direct to video release Home of the Brave. Unlike the former, Stop-Loss has more action and a younger target audience that is more in line with those most likely to be affected by the stop loss action. As for the latter, these two are much more closely related as they both deal with post-traumatic stress disorder and the difficulties that these young men and women encounter upon trying to readjust to life away from the battlefield. The difference is that Stop-Loss feels much more organic and natural, where Home of the Brave had much more of a manufactured feel as the script had to work the characters into each others lives, while Stop Loss had them from the same town to begin with. No, not perfect, but it felt more "real."
Once home, they go about reintegrating themselves into their lives outside the military, however, for Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe) it is short-lived as he learns that he is being sent back to Iraq in a month. This does not sit well, although he is proud of his service, his time is up, he does not want to be a part of the machine any longer. He then goes AWOL, laying low and pursuing different options in an effort to get out of his continued duty. It brings up many issues with regards to how our men (and women) are treated upon their return. It may not be completely true to life, but it does give some food for thought.
While Brandon's story is the central tale told, it is not the only one. Brandon's friends and fellow veterans are integral parts to the film's tapestry. First there is Steve Shriver (Channing Tatum), Brandon's best friend, who is having an awful time readjusting. He is drinking and imagining he is back in the desert. It is causing friction with his friends and pushing his fiancee, Michelle (Abbie Cornish), away. Second is Bobby (Joseph Gordon Levitt) who is probably having the worst time of all. He survived while his best friend died in his arms. The only way he has been able to deal is by drinking, which gets him into trouble and could lead to dire consequences with regards to his young marriage and his beloved military service.
The movie works best when it is showing the problems that soldiers encounter upon their return, which is the main focus. However, some of the situations seem too coincidental and a bit unconvincing. My reaction feels odd and a bit half-hearted with no real explanation. It succeeds at its goal better than Home of the Brave and benefits from good performances from its primary actors. The script has moments of excellence, but other times feels heavy handed and unbelievable.
Kimberly Peirce directed the movie, her first since 1999's Boys Don't Cry. For the most part she does a good job of taking us into the complicated and conflicted lives of her subjects. The biggest weakness would be the script, co-written by Peirce with Mark Richard.
Bottomline. You could do worse, however the Iraq themed film still seems to be unattainable in the world of film. It has to be difficult to craft a film centered on a conflict that is still ongoing. Still, the films do help point to issues that we need to be aware of if we are going to win the war and bring our troops home and be able to provide them with the help they are sure to need. So, yes, I can recommend this film despite not being its biggest fan. It has some strong moments and its goal is an admirable one.
Recommended.
1 comments:
Great review, as always. But the term stop loss does not refer to recalling someone to active duty. It refers to someone who is about to finish their term of enlistment (4, 6 or 8 years) & they are not allowed to leave active duty. This is done to "stop-losses" in "critical job" fields. Well, now you know..keep the reviews coming!
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