Movie Summary of The Messenger by Michael The Moviegoer.
THE MESSENGER = ****
“War Casually”
Oren Moverman’s “The Messenger” is a stinging character study of two U.S. army officers assigned the task of “casualty notification”. And so Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster put on their brave faces as they travel through the small town streets of middle-America, knock on doors, and casually announce to the next of kin that their loved one has been killed. I didn’t think it was true, but there really are worse jobs than telemarketing!
After being wounded in Iraq, Foster returns home to finish the last three months of his tour by working with Harrelson to deliver these death-o-grams. The two soldiers form an unlikely bond. But Foster crosses the line when he begins to fall in love with one of the widows he has notified, played with stunning restraint by Samantha Morton.
Moverman’s film seems cold at the surface, but eventually becomes deeply moving and haunts you long after it’s over. His style of direction focuses on characterization in a way that reminds of the anti-war films made in the 1970s.
Harrelson, Foster and Morton give performances in this film that are worthy of serious awards recognition, and that will happen if enough voters see this little gem.
But at a time when people are going to the movies to escape the dreary world we’re living in, how do you recommend a serious and depressing film? Well, I just think of the equally sad and endless parade of depressing moments offered for free by reality TV shows or self-help talk shows. Imagine if cameras followed real officers around as they made their death notifications. It’s a sick idea, but also one that seems like it would be an obvious hit. That’s because TV audiences thrive on this sort of drama. Yet the media shows us only the surface pain and suffering. Moverman’s film is far more entertaining because it gets us involved in these characters in a way that is very moving, making his film a richly rewarding experience.
If you love sreious drama and great filmmaking, put “The Messenger” on your must-see list.
DVD Double Feature: While thinking of those 70s anti-war films, Hal Ashby always comes to mind. Following his 1973 hit “The Last Detail” which starred Jack Nicholson, he really nailed it with 1978’s “Coming Home” which won an Oscar for Jane Fonda. While her husband is fighting in Vietnam, Fonda falls in love with a paralyzed war veteran confined to a wheelchair.
Michael The Moviegoer
