Review of The Messenger (2009) by Dave J — 22 Dec 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010.
(2009) The Messenger.
DRAMA.
With more than 4,000 US war soldiers killed in action so far out of the war in Iraq, one would wonder how it would go about in informing the relative or spouse! Great first half bogs about the second half! The movie stars Ben Foster as Staff Sergent Will Montgomery after receiving injury while serving in Iraq and unable to do any physical duties, he's then assigned to work with Captain Tony Stone played by Woody Harrelson as a protege or a trainee of some sort as a 'messenger' with it's job is it to inform the next of kin about the demised of their loved ones killed in battle while serving in Iraq!
I have to say that to witness the 'messengers' way of approaching total perfect strangers and then to see their faces on what their reactions would be once learning about their demise, at times are very hearfelt and can say alot by the few words that're spoken that some of those scenes would require a second viewing! The movie begins to bog when Will starts a relationship with one of those war widow's and looks as if his intentions was to fill a void I don't fully understand ! But fortunately didn't go anywhere as a result! There is a good scene which doesn't have much relation with the job to the 'messenger' but still quite effective nonetheless showcasing Will sitting at a bar by himself, overhearing a returned soldier speaking about his experiences in Iraq saying that coming home is like coming back another planet since while fighting in Iraq, he built a rapport with one of the villagers and was taken away from him with gunfire and upon coming home to the US, that it was hard for him to adapt to the life of 'normality' he once had before going to war! This is one of few unecessary powerful scenes because an identity can simply be taken away from an individual as a result of war and combat! I know there are other corolations but it's hard to connect with the fascinating insight what was shown on the first 35 minutes!
3 out of 4.
This review of The Messenger (2009) was written by Dave J on 22 Dec 2010.
The Messenger has generally received positive reviews.
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