The Messenger (2009)
The Messenger(USA) Directed by Oren Moverman Written by Oren Moverman Starring Ben Foster; Woody Harrelson; Samantha Morton; Jena Malone; Eammon Walker; Steve Buscemi
This six million dollar effort did very little business at the box office, but along with recent quality films like The Hurt Locker (2009); In the Valley of Elah (2008); and Stop Loss (2008),gives us a different perspective on Americans involved in the conflicts in the middle east. The always watchable Ben Foster, who has mostly been regulated to amped up character roles, here plays Army staff Sergeant Will Montgomery, a young man still recovering from Iraq combat injuries to his eye and leg. Will is considered a hero, though his perspective on his own exploits differs greatly from the official version of events. With three months of service obligation remaining, Will finds himself stateside and assigned to The Death Notification Squad and partner Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson), a now sober alcoholic and unit veteran prone to dispensing a rambling litany of stories, advice, and life lessons. Tony shows Will the ropes, stressing the vital time crunch involved given the nature of modern technology. The pair goes on multiple notifications, demonstrating the horror of informing someones N.O.K. (next of kin) they have been killed. Fathers; mothers; and wives react with a mix of horror; shock; anger; sadness; and despair. Will has some obvious psychological and emotional issues related to his war experiences, as well as some unresolved feelings for former girlfriend Kelly (Jena Malone), who is now involved with another man. Despite the rules outlined to him by Tony, Will also engages with one of the family members, Olivia (Samantha Morton), who has recently lost her husband. This is a “small” story, built around a few characters, but the writing, and, especially, the acting, are superb. Hand held visuals from DP Bobby Bukowski help with the gritty, verite look. While the plot meanders a bit, Moverman refuses to rely on cliche, and the free flowing feel of The Messenger harkens back to some American classics from the 70s, including another military story, Hal Ashby’s The Last Detail. Though the specific material has been explored to some extent before (e.g Coppola’s Gardens of Stone) this is a valid examination of the complicated business of sending men out to kill and be killed. Despite the fact that a few of the visits seem a bit over-dramatized (perhaps simply in the interest of time), this a solid, well-made drama. Harrelson, who has stated he was loathe to ever play a soldier, gives one of the finest performances of his career.