Review of Megan Leavey (2017) by Mel G — 15 Jun 2017

"MEGAN LEAVEY" REVIEW: Learn love from a dog. On average, a dog year equals seven human years. The film "Megan Leavey" (Kate Mara) is about the bond between a U.S. Marine and her military working dog, Rex. The end credits say the German shepherd MWD was born in 1999. Megan was 20 when she enlisted in 2003, served with Rex in Iraq in 2005-06, and fought to adopt the dog when Leavey decided not to re-enlist in 2007. Handler and dog reunited in 2012. Rex died at 13 (or 91) before Christmas that year. Megan Leavey is all of 33 today and works as a veterinary technician.

Before Rex, Megan was a listless young woman, who had to leave home and join the military to find meaning in her life. Rex, a testy dog, becomes her challenge. She in her early 20s, he still in human formative years (but 28-49 in dog years), become not only partners in training and the real thing, detecting improvised explosive devices in Fallujah and Ramadi, but friends and family those years when neither relates well to others. Leavey's trainer tells her, "Everything you feel goes down leash..., but I can't teach you how to bond." Rex, feeling the tug around his neck, looks up and teaches her love between bark and whimper. Throughout the film, visual more than verbal consists the chemistry between Megan and Rex.

The 2009 Oscar best picture, "The Hurt Locker" (2008, Kathryn Bigelow, also awarded best director), covers IEDs as well, but it's more high-minded than "Megan Leavey." It quotes Chris Hedges' 2002 bestseller "War Is a Force that Gives Us Meaning," as follows: "The rush of battle is a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug." "The Hurt Locker" ends with Sergeant First Class Will James (Jeremy Renner) serving another tour of duty, because he is bored with civilian life, whereas Corporal Leavey campaigns for Rex not to be put to sleep on his retirement, but be reunited with her. Love for Rex makes her life meaningful.

After Rex, and as the end credits roll, I feel Megan's hurt is locked away and she's able to love others, including her parents and a potential human partner in life in the person of Matt Morales, a fellow MWD handler, who's decided not to re-enlist after his last tour.

The Iraqi war is backdrop to "Megan Leavey," "The Hurt Locker," and another biopic, "American Sniper" (2014), also Oscar-nominated in 2015 for best picture and best actor (Bradley Cooper), though not for best director (Clint Eastwood). The films also deal with life back home in the USA. Chris Kyle, "the most lethal sniper in the U.S. military history," dies, killed by a veteran he's helping; James goes back to Iraq; and Leavey leaves the military and now leads a productive life.

I recommend all three (3) films, as they are worth viewing and reviewing. Same basis, different endings, but I find Leavey's resolution the most satisfying. It is also the quietest of the three (which means "Megan Leavey" might not factor into the Oscar awards race, being a summer release and all, though it should), but also the most disquieting -- in a good way.

I like films that make me think of the takeaway after my being in the darkened theater for a couple of hours. What's "Megan Leavey" about? What is it telling me? What do I take away from it?

We - all of us, human and dogs - go through stages, one of which is early adulthood when it's time to leave home and be on our own. It's when we find ourselves, what we're good at. Perhaps dogs don't have the choices humans do, but, somehow our paths cross, and I mean human and non-human, human and human, and non-human and non-human. Or even human or non-human on his or her own, but let's limit it to the human-dog story line, although the takeaway applies in any combination or non-.

"Altruism: the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others." All big and high-minded words, all right, but altruism stems from "egoism or an ethical theory that treats self-interest as the foundation of morality." In simpler words, first we secure our individual survival; once we know we love ourselves, we allow ourselves to care for others. It works for humans and non-humans. Megan hates her circumstance, and, therefore, herself, and she crosses path with Rex, who tests his handler to make sure the dog's main interest - survival - is a mutual interest. Self-love becomes love of others as oneself. In this case, love goes down and up the leash and down again.

So, OK, let's assume we all understood the previous paragraph, but what's the big takeaway? We need to learn love from a dog. Humans are so clever and a half in devising IEDs and countermeasures we tap on human and non-human intelligence alike. Humans have choices, such as joining the military or being or not being at war - either making IEDs or finding them one way or another. Dogs don't. Dogs do what they do better than people based on the canine more acute sense of smell (40 times greater) and hearing (4 times). And if bonding with humans means being able to detect IEDs meant to harm and jeopardize the survival of humans and non-humans alike, so be it. An instinct, or survival skill if you will, and a good moral one - not based on judgment but out of necessity.

But are wars necessary? Why do people engage in war? Why do we sacrifice life and limb? For what?

"Megan Leavey" does not deal with those questions, but it gives an answer, anyway. We take life - military, civilian, ordinary, normal - or leave it, or we choose to embrace it. When we do, we define the terms. We love ourselves and then love our neighbors - great and small (but perhaps with a greater heart) - as ourselves. Love is mutual and inclusive. We may or may not cross paths in this lifetime, but, when we do, as I learn love from a dog, you need to pass my smell test. Do you love me as I love you? If so, let us love one another, and we do not need to fight. May we both live to be a 100 - that's less than 15 in dog years - in a most meaningful way.