Review of The Messenger (2009) by Rebecca C — 31 Mar 2013

The Iraq War is responsible for so many deaths that, as sad as it is, we sometimes forgot the human stories and heart-broken families that are behind the simple and meaningless number. :The messenger" is a superb character study focussing on two Iraq War veterans working for the Casualty Notification Office and delivering the messege of a soldier's death to its close ones.

Woody Harrelson, at least for me, became one of the greatest character actors of the current time. He gives his character profound depth combining vulnerability, anger and emotional devastation. Ben Foster's performance is not less worth mentioning.

He undergoes great development: the fragile soldier learns to accept his responsibility. The selected families perfectly display the different reactions possible when conflicted with a loved one's death.

This film is nothing I remember seing and is a great addition to everyone's DVD collection.