Yesterday I saw Leave No Trace, starring Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie.
Will (Foster) is a veteran suffering from PTSD, raising his teenage daughter in the woods of a public park outside Portland, Oregon. Tom (McKenzie) accepts this life with grace as it's all she knows. We assume mom has passed away, but she's only mentioned briefly, quite vaguely, so we're not sure.
When Tom gets spotted by a hiker, their life is exposed and social services relocates them to temporary housing on a farm. There, Tom begins to make friends with nearby kids her age and Will works on the owner's tree farm in exchange for lodging. Tom loves it and Will hates it.
After just a few weeks, Will insists they leave and soon enough, they're back to a transient lifestyle. For the first time Tom lets Will know that she was happy with the structure and stability of the farm life. Though it pains him to make her suffer because of his issues, that doesn't prevent him from caving and they continue to press on.
The film is both tender and excruciating to watch. This father and daughter are genuine friends, and their love runs deep. Tom has learned amazing survival skills from Will, but his unreasonable need to be off the grid is unfair to her and she comes to realize that. Though his actions make you angry, you feel for him and that's a testament to the pain that comes through Ben Foster's eyes in every scene.
Tom McKenzie is also convincing as a young girl who just wants more out of life, but doesn't want to hurt her father.
If you're looking for a film that moves along at a quiet, but important-to-the-story pace and also makes you re-think every homeless person you encounter, give this a chance. It may just bring perspective along with the tears.
~~~
Showing posts with label veteran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label veteran. Show all posts
Sunday, September 02, 2018
Sunday, February 15, 2015
American Sniper
Today I saw American Sniper, starring Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller.
Chris Kyle (Cooper) is a hard-working American cowboy who feels moved to fight for his country and enlists at age 30. He trains to become a Navy Seal and soon becomes a legend for his precise sniper skills in the desert.
His wife back home, Taya (Miller), is proud of the man he's become, but tired of playing single mother to their two children while he keeps returning to duty. Each time she speaks with him, she begs him to quit the service and come home.
The entire film, based on a true story, details Kyle's wrestle with his sense of responsibility to defend his country and his genuine love for his family. Much like we've seen in films like The Hurt Locker, when soldiers come home, they have an understandably tough time acclimating back to "real life." They've endured so many horrors in the field, there's perhaps a survivors' guilt for enjoying the basic things that Americans are free to experience. In Kyle's case, he also carried the burden of being "the best in the business" at his particular craft, so he felt no matter who was fighting in the war on our behalf, he would do a better job (and save more lives) if he was there.
Director Clint Eastwood does a predictably great job making us feel as if we're in the war with these Seals. Cooper holds his own with a convincing Texas drawl and pained look in his eye; Miller genuinely captures what so many military wives must endure on a daily basis.
Basically? It's a good, solid, sad, inspirational entertaining film.
I procrastinated seeing it because war is hard to watch, but I'm glad I went because now I'm aware of a real-life hero who I previously knew nothing about. I also understand the Oscar nominations and the box office success, both of which I believe are well deserved.
If you can stomach the violence, and don't mind shedding some tears, you shouldn't miss it.
~~~
Chris Kyle (Cooper) is a hard-working American cowboy who feels moved to fight for his country and enlists at age 30. He trains to become a Navy Seal and soon becomes a legend for his precise sniper skills in the desert.
His wife back home, Taya (Miller), is proud of the man he's become, but tired of playing single mother to their two children while he keeps returning to duty. Each time she speaks with him, she begs him to quit the service and come home.
The entire film, based on a true story, details Kyle's wrestle with his sense of responsibility to defend his country and his genuine love for his family. Much like we've seen in films like The Hurt Locker, when soldiers come home, they have an understandably tough time acclimating back to "real life." They've endured so many horrors in the field, there's perhaps a survivors' guilt for enjoying the basic things that Americans are free to experience. In Kyle's case, he also carried the burden of being "the best in the business" at his particular craft, so he felt no matter who was fighting in the war on our behalf, he would do a better job (and save more lives) if he was there.
Director Clint Eastwood does a predictably great job making us feel as if we're in the war with these Seals. Cooper holds his own with a convincing Texas drawl and pained look in his eye; Miller genuinely captures what so many military wives must endure on a daily basis.
Basically? It's a good, solid, sad, inspirational entertaining film.
I procrastinated seeing it because war is hard to watch, but I'm glad I went because now I'm aware of a real-life hero who I previously knew nothing about. I also understand the Oscar nominations and the box office success, both of which I believe are well deserved.
If you can stomach the violence, and don't mind shedding some tears, you shouldn't miss it.
~~~
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