The Messenger (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Just when I thought that American cinema was taking a break from dramatizing events surrounding the War in the Middle East, up comes 3 films about that very subject: this Summer's 'The Hurt Locker', 'Brothers', & now, 'The Messenger', directed by Oren Moverman. And you know what ... 'The Messenger' is the best of the lot. Ben Foster stars as Will Montgomery, a U.S. Army officer who's returned home from Iraq & is assigned to the Army's Casuality Notification Service; a messenger of death, so to speak. He is partnered with Capt. Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) to bear macabre news to the loved ones of fallen soldiers (it's hard to think of a worse job to have). Any time a soldier goes to war, he/she puts down a Next of Kin to contact - in person - in the unfortunate event of their death.
As Stone tells Montgomery, there are rules for the job: you can't touch the next of kin, stick to the script (of what to say), & approach the homes together. Montgomery must wear a beeper at all times, in case they stop at a house in the middle of the night. Neither men sleep well (due to the nature of their jobs and/or what they've been through in war). Stone struggles with alcoholism. And Montgomery, nursing physical war wounds, downs some beer, paces back & forth in his boxers & army boots, & contemplates life; internalizing everything. One of the many things on his mind is his ex-girlfriend, Kelly (Jena Malone); who's marrying a non-military man. Will & Kelly were madly in love, he left for war, & she didn't wait for him. She didn't want to be the receiving end of one of those house calls.
Saddened & angry by this news, Montgomery throws himself into his new job; burying any emotion. Montgomery is a tough kid, but even he finds it difficult telling mothers, fathers, fiancees, & wives that their loved one is dead. On one of their jobs, Montgomery starts to fall in love with Olivia (Samantha Morton), a widowed wife of a deceased soldier. Part of the plot involves this touch-&-go romance. They both grapple with the same ethical dilemma: for Olivia, is it dishonorable to strike up a relationship so soon? For Will, can he understand her hesitancy, & learn to emote? It's a very delicate situation that's handled beautifully by Foster & Morton. The other part(s) of the plot involves Will's challenge of completing this 'messenger' mission unscathed, & seeking comfort & healing (away from Iraq). Something terrible happened to him back there. And in the film's most powerful scene, Will reveals his story to Stone (and to us).
'The Messenger' is a small film. But boy, is it heart-rendering, morally present & superbly acted. It's hard to watch, sometimes (during the 4 or 5 dramatizations where the 2 men deliver bad news to the families). But overall, it's realistic, involving, personal, & alert to what's going on now. It even has sporadic breaks for humor (much needed, mind you). There's really only 1 scene that felt inauthentic; when Montgomery & Stone drunkenly crash Kelly's wedding. And even at that, it's pretty funny to watch. That scene also goes to show us that these 2 damaged men feel more at ease in their uniforms than out of them -- incredible. 'The Messenger' succeeds at telling a tale about 2 men whose only hope of 'holding it together' is to bury themselves in a job where you can't show any emotion, anyway.
Ben Foster is amazing. He's always had a knack for playing 'nutty'. But in this film, he keeps all that nuttiness inside, behind his sad eyes. There's a lot of hurt & self-doubt. You really feel like a part of his soul was left in Iraq. And it isn't til the very end that we realize what he's been concealing. I have goose bumps thinking back to his soliloquy. And Stone's (Harrelson) delayed reaction to that soliloquy is spellbinding. Woody is great as the Capt. who's trying to impart his regimented ways unto Will. It isn't until the midway point of the film where Stone figuratively says, 'f*ck it', and lets down his guard; cracking jokes & drinking hard - to numb the pain in his soul. And Samantha Morton gives a stunningly gentle, hurting, & emotive performance in the underwritten role of Olivia. There's a scene in a kitchen btwn. she & Will that's one of the most tender moments (not involving human contact) that I've ever seen on film. 'The Messenger' is slow, but not boring; and more heartbreaking because of its restraint. There's no big political agenda or melodrama - just a heartfelt, sometimes humorous portrait of grief, friendship, & endurance.
As Stone tells Montgomery, there are rules for the job: you can't touch the next of kin, stick to the script (of what to say), & approach the homes together. Montgomery must wear a beeper at all times, in case they stop at a house in the middle of the night. Neither men sleep well (due to the nature of their jobs and/or what they've been through in war). Stone struggles with alcoholism. And Montgomery, nursing physical war wounds, downs some beer, paces back & forth in his boxers & army boots, & contemplates life; internalizing everything. One of the many things on his mind is his ex-girlfriend, Kelly (Jena Malone); who's marrying a non-military man. Will & Kelly were madly in love, he left for war, & she didn't wait for him. She didn't want to be the receiving end of one of those house calls.
Saddened & angry by this news, Montgomery throws himself into his new job; burying any emotion. Montgomery is a tough kid, but even he finds it difficult telling mothers, fathers, fiancees, & wives that their loved one is dead. On one of their jobs, Montgomery starts to fall in love with Olivia (Samantha Morton), a widowed wife of a deceased soldier. Part of the plot involves this touch-&-go romance. They both grapple with the same ethical dilemma: for Olivia, is it dishonorable to strike up a relationship so soon? For Will, can he understand her hesitancy, & learn to emote? It's a very delicate situation that's handled beautifully by Foster & Morton. The other part(s) of the plot involves Will's challenge of completing this 'messenger' mission unscathed, & seeking comfort & healing (away from Iraq). Something terrible happened to him back there. And in the film's most powerful scene, Will reveals his story to Stone (and to us).
'The Messenger' is a small film. But boy, is it heart-rendering, morally present & superbly acted. It's hard to watch, sometimes (during the 4 or 5 dramatizations where the 2 men deliver bad news to the families). But overall, it's realistic, involving, personal, & alert to what's going on now. It even has sporadic breaks for humor (much needed, mind you). There's really only 1 scene that felt inauthentic; when Montgomery & Stone drunkenly crash Kelly's wedding. And even at that, it's pretty funny to watch. That scene also goes to show us that these 2 damaged men feel more at ease in their uniforms than out of them -- incredible. 'The Messenger' succeeds at telling a tale about 2 men whose only hope of 'holding it together' is to bury themselves in a job where you can't show any emotion, anyway.
Ben Foster is amazing. He's always had a knack for playing 'nutty'. But in this film, he keeps all that nuttiness inside, behind his sad eyes. There's a lot of hurt & self-doubt. You really feel like a part of his soul was left in Iraq. And it isn't til the very end that we realize what he's been concealing. I have goose bumps thinking back to his soliloquy. And Stone's (Harrelson) delayed reaction to that soliloquy is spellbinding. Woody is great as the Capt. who's trying to impart his regimented ways unto Will. It isn't until the midway point of the film where Stone figuratively says, 'f*ck it', and lets down his guard; cracking jokes & drinking hard - to numb the pain in his soul. And Samantha Morton gives a stunningly gentle, hurting, & emotive performance in the underwritten role of Olivia. There's a scene in a kitchen btwn. she & Will that's one of the most tender moments (not involving human contact) that I've ever seen on film. 'The Messenger' is slow, but not boring; and more heartbreaking because of its restraint. There's no big political agenda or melodrama - just a heartfelt, sometimes humorous portrait of grief, friendship, & endurance.