Review of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2016) by Jeff M — 29 Nov 2016
A prosperous America with all its pomp and circumstance betrays itself and everybody else in its seeming sorta-kinda attempt to honor a group of freedom defending heroes for their service in keeping prosperous America prospering.
The virgin Billy Lynn is the focus of a modern warrior's sacred dedication to Duty and Trust to which the rest of us, by and large, are pretty much ineered. We say we get it but we don't. Most of us have never been to Iraq or Afghanistan for any reason and we want to keep it that way.
Ang Lee brilliantly illuminates our deficits in genuine empathy and his work is devalued by many critics, I believe, precisely because it's painful looking at the truth. That, and the fact that Steve Martin gives a truly dreadful performance unworthy of comparison to anything he's ever done before.
Joe Alwyn, on the other hand, gives a masterful performance worthy of supporting the supporting cast by bringing out their superb contributions, all made possible by Mr. Lee's quiet and never failing directorial genius.
This review of Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2016) was written by Jeff M on 29 Nov 2016.
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk has generally received mixed reviews.
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