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Reviews of Recent Independent, Foreign, & Documentary Films in Theaters and DVD/Home Video
THE MESSENGER War films offer a look at people living (and often dying) under extreme duress, dealing with everyday human problems under the most difficult external circumstances. The Messenger literally brings the war home. Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster), wounded in Iraq, is assigned to a casualty notification team, working under Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson), and charged with informing next of kin of recent combat deaths. Not only does he live daily with the horrible residuals of war, but he must engage in spreading that horror around what are otherwise quiet, peaceful neighborhoods. Countless films describe the psychological deterioration that often accompanies a soldier’s tour of duty (Born on the Fourth of July, Dead Presidents), but so often this downward spiral has a more insular, isolating effect. True, the needs of our returning troops are not often met, leaving them without the proper tools to reintegrate into the community, but this film describes something much different. A model soldier, Sergeant Montgomery sows ill fortune and damage, now on the home front. Although he detaches himself from what few commitments he has—including his long-standing girlfriend (Jena Malone)—Montgomery is eventually drawn into a complicated relationship with a recent widow (Samantha Morton). The bon mots that pepper this script may comprise some of the most insightful writing about war I’ve encountered recently, but it goes far beyond this intimate film. What Oren Moverman—a first-time director and screenwriter of such films as I’m Not There and Married Life—achieves here is a reminder of what’s happening around us each day. Unless our current war(s)—or ineffective, un-winnable ones like it—continue forever (there is a distinct possibility of this), I don’t see this film remaining as pertinent as it is now. As a narrative film, there are too many elements in The Messenger that completely fall apart. The notification sequences, which follow the two-man team into the homes of soon-to-be-grieving families, begin in such an interesting way. The camera becomes hand-held, documentary style, adding further to the real-life significance of the material, but eventually Moverman’s scenarios border on the ridiculous, describing overly painful situations, each one more horrific than the last. The scripted drama actually loses some credibility. One difficult scene involves a shocked father vomiting at the sergeant’s feet after hearing the news of his son’s death. The event precipitates a badly contrived fight between the two officers over the specifics of the assignment. But it’s really Montgomery’s angst we’re witnessing at this point, and the plot begins to feel forced. The men finally reconcile after a weekend of binge drinking and an impromptu visit to Montgomery’s ex-girlfriend’s wedding rehearsal dinner. Woody Harrelson plays the elder notification officer masterfully, depicting a funny man while avoiding the clownishness he usually brings to his characters. Captain Stone may be filled with angst as well, but his attitude exudes a special kind of pride reserved for those who may not completely believe in the cause but continue to work. For Captain Stone, justifying his mission is a survival tactic. To discount the film for its
narrative flaws, though, feels unwarranted. There’s such important
subject material here, and The Messenger is written with such a
high degree of insight. Expect, though, to see a film that describes
real-life events more effectively than its own plot. When dealing with
events like war and its consequences, I’m not at all sure this is a bad
thing. Michael Lee
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