Based on a true story, the movie is about a former military officer investigating his son’s murder immediately after returning from Iraq. Had I not known that the movie was written to closely resemble actual events, I don’t think that I could have tolerated the characters’ single dimensions, the lack of mystery-suspence, nor could I have sat through what could be misconstrued as biggotry directed to hispanics and women.
Susan Surandon played an obedient housewife whose say was obviously not on any important agendas, and the single-mom-cop found it difficult to help her son’s selfesteem until Tommy Lee Jones played “father figure” and recited a story from the bible. All of the other women were strippers.
Strangely, all of this is fine, for me, because I know that people treat and think of others in the same way in real life. While I am forgiving of the nature of my fellow Americans, I am somewhat surprized at myself that I am more than forgiving of the patriotic themes subtlely played out through the movie.
The clear message is, “we ain’t got a prayer in hell of saving ourselves,” and I welcome any movie that brushes the mentality that a system is weakest when it stresses on its own appearance rather than its efficiency. My father came from a generation who could cope, and DID cope, with the same things that our boys in the middle east face today. It makes me wonder if our generation is weaker for falling for the same tricks and getting sicker from the same trips, or if the value of human life to the average American is increasing, therefor more devastating for us to watch be destroyed.
The movie was written to make its audience think and respect, and I find myself responding accordingly.
Imagine if Clint Eastwood hadn’t turned this movie down, though. “Go ahead, chino, make my day.”
SCRIPT: respectable
ACTING: alright
DIRECTION: good
CONTENT: respectable
