Review of The Messenger (2009) by Dickie L — 30 Jul 2010

The story of a couple of army officers whose duty it is to notify next of kin of soldiers that have died in combat is rife with dramatic possiblities, and they are delivered with maximum impact in The Messenger.

The premise may sound maudlin, but crucially there is much humour in the film - how could there not be with Woody Harrelson in the cast? In concert with Ben Foster and Samantha Morton they make for a formidable combo of actors who take us on a gripping emotional journey that thankfully doesn't go down the obvious cliche route.

Its assuredly directed too, I like the way that in many scenes the camera would rest on a character observing a dramatic exchange rather than the event itself. Much is unresolved about the lives of the main characters at the end, but thats not necessarily a bad thing.