Starring Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Jena Malone, and Steve Buscemi
Directed by Oren Moverman
Directed by Oren Moverman
Little did I know walking into this movie that I would be watching some of the most gut-wrenching scenes put on film this year, getting a small glimpse at some of the most intimate moments of a soldier's family's life.
The Messenger revolves around two casualty notification officers -- men who are tasked with informing the family members of U.S. soldiers that their loved ones have died. Captain Tony Stone (Harrelson) is the veteran officer and he is in the process of training newcomer Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Foster), an Iraq war veteran who has returned home from war with both physical and psychological ailments. As they go from home to home, Will becomes enamored with one particular army widow, Olivia. Both Olivia and Will have their share of problems and their relationship is anything but easygoing.
What touched me the most were the scenes in which Will and Tony reveal the sad news to the family members. The varying reactions of the families and the acting on display of both the family members and of Foster and Harrelson was just stunning here. The muted strength and emotionally vacant faces of the two soldiers (obviously masking their palpable sadness) countering the utter devastation of the family members set up such a dichotomy that one can't help but be moved. There was an uncomfortable feeling in nearly every one of these scenes and they really were quite emotionally gripping.
Certainly helping these scenes earn their gravitas is the fantastic work of Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson. Harrelson, in particular, is pretty darn spectacular here. Always the steadfast and strong one of the pair, Harrelson's Tony is obviously suppressing some horrible "survivor's"-type guilt as evidenced by his past alcoholism and womanizing ways. And Foster, while feeling that same guilt, reacts to things in a much angrier way. It's this balance of the two personalities that make the film work so well -- at first, Will and Tony think they are quite different from one another, but, in the end, they realize they share more than they think. There's also some great (although subtle) work from Samantha Morton, and Jena Malone definitely stands out in what is essentially a glorified extended cameo.
Director Oren Moverman allows things to linger, but manages to never make things seem slow-moving. There's a several minute-long shot of Foster's Will and Morton's Olivia during which Olivia breaks down for the first time that was just stunning, exemplifying the director's idea of not shying away from things. He stays with this emotional scene for an extended period of time, just as he pulls us into every single one of the scenes in which the two officers must deliver the awful news to the next of kin of the fallen soldiers.
Ultimately, the film isn't perfect (although it's close) -- the film doesn't allow the audience to really connect with Will in the way that is necessary to be pulling/rooting for his character. By the film's end and in the final scenes, that emotional connection is finally achieved (boy, is it ever...), but for 90 minutes, I felt a wall up between myself and the main character.
Still, when you look at everything else that's so right with the movie, that feels like a minor quibble. Similar to The Hurt Locker, The Messenger is about war, but doesn't take an (obvious) pro or con stance. They both allow the viewer to make up their own minds and bring their own personal views into the film experience. And The Messenger was quite an experience.
The Messenger revolves around two casualty notification officers -- men who are tasked with informing the family members of U.S. soldiers that their loved ones have died. Captain Tony Stone (Harrelson) is the veteran officer and he is in the process of training newcomer Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Foster), an Iraq war veteran who has returned home from war with both physical and psychological ailments. As they go from home to home, Will becomes enamored with one particular army widow, Olivia. Both Olivia and Will have their share of problems and their relationship is anything but easygoing.
What touched me the most were the scenes in which Will and Tony reveal the sad news to the family members. The varying reactions of the families and the acting on display of both the family members and of Foster and Harrelson was just stunning here. The muted strength and emotionally vacant faces of the two soldiers (obviously masking their palpable sadness) countering the utter devastation of the family members set up such a dichotomy that one can't help but be moved. There was an uncomfortable feeling in nearly every one of these scenes and they really were quite emotionally gripping.
Certainly helping these scenes earn their gravitas is the fantastic work of Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson. Harrelson, in particular, is pretty darn spectacular here. Always the steadfast and strong one of the pair, Harrelson's Tony is obviously suppressing some horrible "survivor's"-type guilt as evidenced by his past alcoholism and womanizing ways. And Foster, while feeling that same guilt, reacts to things in a much angrier way. It's this balance of the two personalities that make the film work so well -- at first, Will and Tony think they are quite different from one another, but, in the end, they realize they share more than they think. There's also some great (although subtle) work from Samantha Morton, and Jena Malone definitely stands out in what is essentially a glorified extended cameo.
Director Oren Moverman allows things to linger, but manages to never make things seem slow-moving. There's a several minute-long shot of Foster's Will and Morton's Olivia during which Olivia breaks down for the first time that was just stunning, exemplifying the director's idea of not shying away from things. He stays with this emotional scene for an extended period of time, just as he pulls us into every single one of the scenes in which the two officers must deliver the awful news to the next of kin of the fallen soldiers.
Ultimately, the film isn't perfect (although it's close) -- the film doesn't allow the audience to really connect with Will in the way that is necessary to be pulling/rooting for his character. By the film's end and in the final scenes, that emotional connection is finally achieved (boy, is it ever...), but for 90 minutes, I felt a wall up between myself and the main character.
Still, when you look at everything else that's so right with the movie, that feels like a minor quibble. Similar to The Hurt Locker, The Messenger is about war, but doesn't take an (obvious) pro or con stance. They both allow the viewer to make up their own minds and bring their own personal views into the film experience. And The Messenger was quite an experience.
The RyMickey Rating: A-
