Hiya! Fáilte chuig mo Bhlog!! Welcome to my Blog! For ages I've avoided writing a "Blog" - even the use of the word was anathema to me -it sounds so unlyrical, ugly, even - and so I (perhaps foolishly, perhaps, snobbishly) resisted until, finally, I realised it was akin to holding out, Canute-like, against the use of the word "cool" or the wearing of hugely baggy trousers by young people...And so, here I am, contrite, humbled, writing on my Blog page. Oh, how the mighty have fallen...
Film Review: The Lucky Ones |
| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Oct 21 2009 |
The Lucky Ones
I was recently discussing with a friend the abuses to which the Military Machine subjects the English (and presumably, every other) language. Not just the more obvious ones like, friendly fire or collateral damage, but more insidious examples too. Of course, the whole point is to attempt to remove the human aspect of Warfare, so that we, at home, are protected from the Ugly Truth. A classic example of this is the (ab)use of the term, troops when what is meant is, of course, soldiers, actual people, men and women.
It was with some interest, therefore, that I took home the film, The Lucky Ones the other night. Intriguingly, it stars Tim Robbins, a man well known for his opposition to the current military engagement ( see?it’s everywhere!).
He plays quiet-spoken, long-serving Sgt.Cheaver, heading home to his wife and son, having finished his tour of duty in Iraq. He meets and is thrown together with, in true road movie format, two wounded soldiers going home on leave: Colee, perfectly played with open-faced innocence by Rachel McAdams, who is returning the guitar of her killed soldier boyfriend to his parents; and a young, macho sergeant, TK (Michael Pena, with just the right combination of bravado and vulnerability) who is avoiding breaking some unpalatable news to his fiancé.
As the three drive across the US, their stories gently unfold and we witness their dislocation, their difficulty in dealing with, what to the rest of us, is the everyday, normal World. Their Institutionalisation, in fact. The story is beautifully told and the acting is impeccable throughout. Director and co-writer, Neil Burger, allows the film to unfold beautifully in an understated way that never feels rushed or as if it’s hitting you over the head. In fact, despite its rather weighty theme, the film is not “worthy” in the negative sense. It is a thoroughly enjoyable, yet heartbreaking, story that gets you thinking.
Highly recommended.
Last changed: Oct 21 2009 at 7:24 PM
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