Stars:
***
Rating: R for language
and violence
Run
Time: 1
hour, 44 minutes
Hollywood’s
hot young turks tackle contemporary issues in this current-day war tale based
on Susanne Bier’s 2004 Danish film of the same name.
The plot is
one that’s unfurling in homes and hometowns all over the USA. Capable Marine Captain
Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) and his childhood sweetheart wife Grace (Natalie
Portman) are raising two young girls while Sam does back and forth tours of
duty as a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan. Sam’s latest deployment comes at the
same time as his ne’er-do-well brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) is sprung from
prison for his part in a thwarted bank robbery.
When Sam’s
chopper is shot down the military comes calling, declaring him dead. A bitter
pill for Grace and kin to swallow as Sam is the kind of guy with no quit in
him, the immaculate white hat to Tommy’s black and a hero in all eyes.
Forced to
step up Tommy becomes a surrogate Dad to Grace’s girls Isabel and Maggie
(Bailee Madison and Taylor Geare) and perilously close to a love interest for
Grace herself.
In stark
contrast to the Rockwellian folk scenes playing out on the snowy homefront Sam
is enduring his own personal hell in the Middle East, struggling to stay alive
in order to return to his family. This is the film’s weakest link – slightly insubstantial
on the dark horrors that can result in severe psychological change. Sam returns
a shell of his former self whose guilt and paranoia cause him to see things in
a different light.
Jim
Sheridan knows his way around dysfunctional drama (think “In America”, etc.)
and keeps a steady finger on a high-tension wire humming with anxiety.
A-listers Gyllenhaal, Portman and Maguire are all up to snuff, with Maguire
sporting a stunning melodramatic transformation from confident, straight-arrow
Marine to self-flagellating apparition.
Best of
show goes to Madison, who acts the pants off the adults with sensitive expressions
of fear, affection and inevitable parental damage on her vivid little face.
War pics
are a risky business, especially during the holidays when it’s all about the
upbeat warp and woof of life. Even “The Hurt Locker”, one of the year’s best
reviewed films, did disappointing box office when it was released this summer.
Sheridan’s ode to those who serve is gloriously atmospheric -- perhaps perilously
slow in spots -- but gives plenty of bang for the buck.