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The Lucky Ones (2008)
Director: Neil Burger
Writers: Neil Burger, Dirk Wittenborn
Cast: Rachel McAdams, Tim Robbins, Michael Peña
Genre: Drama Comedy
About: Three soldiers returned home to the USA from Afghanistan, end up taking a cross country road trip together. Their stories are interwoven as they deal with their war injuries and learn life has moved on without them, during their tour of duties.
Review: I love indie films, and I love road trip films, especially when they're cleverly written and insightful. I instantly liked the film and cared about the three characters. I thought all three main actors were very good and made me care about what happened to them. In the hands of another director this could have turned into a typical sentimental film but it never does that, thank goodness.
I loved the way this was edited and filmed...no quirky camera tricks, no fast cut edits, no flash backs. I especially like the way each of the character's stories wrapped up at the end. Good old fashion story telling, that kept me involved!
I thought it was cool how the film showed that all three characters were first and foremost soldiers. They breathe, think and act, soldiering. The director shows us how the three are different than civilians when they interact with non-soldiers.
I thought the end scene where they say goodbye to each other at the airport and Micheal Pena kisses Rachel McAdams goodbye showed how they were all soldiers: In most films they would have passionately kissed, falling in love and ended up together. But Pena kisses her not on the cheek, and not squarely on the lips, but off to the side of her lips (as a solider buddy might do)...
The Lucky Ones (2008)
Writers: Neil Burger, Dirk Wittenborn
Cast: Rachel McAdams, Tim Robbins, Michael Peña
Genre: Drama Comedy
About: Three soldiers returned home to the USA from Afghanistan, end up taking a cross country road trip together. Their stories are interwoven as they deal with their war injuries and learn life has moved on without them, during their tour of duties.
Review: I love indie films, and I love road trip films, especially when they're cleverly written and insightful. I instantly liked the film and cared about the three characters. I thought all three main actors were very good and made me care about what happened to them. In the hands of another director this could have turned into a typical sentimental film but it never does that, thank goodness.
I loved the way this was edited and filmed...no quirky camera tricks, no fast cut edits, no flash backs. I especially like the way each of the character's stories wrapped up at the end. Good old fashion story telling, that kept me involved!
I thought it was cool how the film showed that all three characters were first and foremost soldiers. They breathe, think and act, soldiering. The director shows us how the three are different than civilians when they interact with non-soldiers.
I thought the end scene where they say goodbye to each other at the airport and Micheal Pena kisses Rachel McAdams goodbye showed how they were all soldiers: In most films they would have passionately kissed, falling in love and ended up together. But Pena kisses her not on the cheek, and not squarely on the lips, but off to the side of her lips (as a solider buddy might do)...