First Hit: This film does a fantastic job of letting the audience a glimpse of understanding regarding the unseen impact and trauma of war through characters that people can relate to.
Kimberly Pierce (the Director and writer) did her homework. This is a very strong film about the impact on our soldiers when they are “stop-lossed”.
Because the requirements for troops in Iraq is larger than the number of people available to serve and we do not have a draft (as we did in Vietnam), our government gives itself the right to break the agreement it has with our soldiers.
In breaking this agreement, the soldiers are kept from leaving the armed service and sent back to Iraq for additional war duty. The toll this takes on people is what this film is about. Ms. Pierce sets the stage effectively by opening the door slowly by beginning with important shots during the opening credits.
The audience is immediately engaged with the squad of men led by Brandon (played by Ryan Phillippe) as their different personalities are displayed while they hang out together in their billets. This scene is true to its tale; it is how men bond in the service and especially in war.
As the film unfolds Brandon leads his squad into a narrow alley in pursuit of three men who shot at them at a checkpoint. Going into the alley was a mistake and the men become trapped and are assaulted by rockets, gunfire and grenades.
Brandon loses a couple of men, his best friend is hurt and one of his guys loses an arm and leg. They come back home to their small Texas town to a hero’s celebration. After their short leave they will be processed out of the army, their contract finished. This is when they find out some of them are to be stop-lossed. Brandon cannot believe his ears. He thinks there’s been some clerical mistake.
Learning he has to go back he sees the toll on his friends and himself and so he refuses. He soon learns how difficult it is to live your beliefs and also believe the government after they broke their contract with him.
Pierce captures small town Texas perfectly; the sights, sounds, and the people. She also captures how these men attempt to just slide back into their old life and cannot, they are forever changed by the act of war. At one level they act the same as they did before they left but it is clear there is a deeper underlying level fear and hiding of what they saw, what they feel, and what they did while in Iraq. All of this is excellently captured.
Overall: This film is a very strong addition to the body of work representing our misguided flight into Iraq.