Written by: Richard Linklater & Darryl Poniscan (based on the novel by)
Directed by: Richard Linklater
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne, Steve Carell
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
Three grizzled Vietnam-era veterans, Doc, Sal and Mueller, travel together up the East Coast on a mournful personal mission to hold an appropriate burial for Doc's only child, who perished in the opening stages of the Iraq invasion.
Verdict
This takes a measured pace, but I found the development of the characters engrossing. I couldn't help but imagine how the trio's experience in war shaped them. The same experience had drastically different effects. This focuses on how you deal with war and grief and the inherent lies that are unavoidable to dull the pain of that grief.
Watch it.
Review
Linklater has a knack for personal stories. We get three distinct characters that served together in Vietnam, and now years later we see how that experience shaped them. They're still dealing with the side effects of war.
Doc (Steve Carrell), whose son died in Iraq, reunites them en route to his son's body. He's grief stricken and mad at the government for stealing his son's life. I never quite liked Carrell's performance. I get he's a grief stricken father, but I've seen him act better. This just felt off. He always felt like more of a fresh eighteen year old kid in Vietnam than a middle aged man. While that may be the point, it results in an offputting performance.
Sal (Bryan Cranston) and Richard (Laurence Fishburne) are dealing with age and Vietnam. Sal doesn't care, or at least puts on a show reinforcing that thought. Richard repented and became a preacher. While Fishburne is solid, Cranston steals every scene. He does a superb job.
The running question is what happened to Doc's son. While Doc was told his son died a hero, the story is vague enough to raise questions. While he discovers the truth, the men realize that the lie isn't just the military trying to cover up mistakes. That lie provides a peace for the family left behind. When the trio pay respects to a Marine that died in Vietnam, they see the other side of the lie.
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