The Messenger

Director: Owen Moverman

Stars: Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster

Genre: Drama

Studio: Alliance Films

Audience Suitability: 14A

Release Date: Feb. 16, 2010

Running Time: 114 Minutes

By Robert Waldman

Military duty comes under scrutiny in The Messenger, a thought-provoking movie from Alliance Films. War is hell. Carnage on the battle field inflicts pain on soldiers and their families back home. The Messenger takes you on a personal journey through conflicts that few non-military families experience. Behind all the brawn and bravado is the ever present risk of pain and sorrow if soldiers don’t return from active duty. Director Oren Moverman co-wrote this heartfelt portrait of two men charged with delivering the worst news imaginable to relatives awaiting their children’s safe trip back from war zones. Look for a bright future for Moverman after taking us into a world most of us could never understand unless you’ve experienced it first hand.

Responsible for communicating news of battlefield deaths are Captain Tony Stone and Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery. Versatile Woody Harrelson (Zombieland) and up and comer Ben Foster (The Punisher) perfectly play these two officers. Friction abounds between these individuals as Stone is the veteran who knows how to “handle” giving out the terrible news while Montgomery is the rookie out to learn the proper approach. No nonsense is the motto employed by Stone who acts as a mentor to Montgomery. Both these men are servants to the Secretary of Defense and firmly believe in their mission to defend the United States. However, this new assignment on home soil creates a schism between the two.

No emotion is given off by Stone which is the way things are supposed to unfold according to the army playbook. Montgomery tries to follow procedure but you can sense his apprehension and more humane approach to communicating notices of death. Two real stories unfold in The Messenger: how the families react to the loss of their loved ones and how these two spit-polished army officers handle those reactions. Real tension and emotion is displayed at every turn in this unforgettable film.

While learning the ropes of the job Montgomery undergoes some changes as does Stone. Being able for a character to change shows growth and Harrelson in particular turns in a tremendous performance as his character must adapt to various new circumstances. Not to be left to his own devices, Montgomery also finds himself immersed in a constant battle to conceal his personal feelings which only get further exacerbated when he meets a new woman, Olivia Pitterson, who has just lost her husband. Samantha Morton (The Libertine) conveys the right degree of sadness and detachment as a grieving widow in a gutsy subplot that explores the moral fibre of men and women separated for long lengths of time and the problems that may cause. Watch out also for a small, but very skillful encounter with Steve Buscemi (Fargo) as a father facing a similar ordeal.

Many issues are touched upon in The Messenger with none being glossed over. Much research must have gone into writing this movie as the way both these soldiers carry on their duties looks authentic. Emotion is often left out of the equation and the cold nature of the whole process will clearly impact viewers.

One of the best war-themed movies in years, The Messenger takes an up close and personal view of men and women facing horrendous loss and the struggle that gnaws away at the bearers of such bad news. It is right up there with last year’s The Hurt Locker in terms of its authenticity and ability to bring to light a seldom seen aspect of the military.

Read more reviews by Robert at www.moviereviewssite.com

Written by :

mutuel

 

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