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The Messenger (2009)
The Messenger is a dark and at times gut-wrenching drama from 2009 that features a fascinating premise and some superb performances but suffers from a screenplay that wanders off in too many directions during the final third of the story.
Will Montgomery is a Staff Sergeant in the US Army who has been assigned to what is probably the most difficult work in the army. Will has been assigned to the notification unit. These are the soldiers who travel to the homes of men who have been killed in the line of duty to inform their next of kin. Under the tutelage of Captain Tony Stone, Will learns the ins and outs of this extremely difficult task of the military and finds sticking to the regulations is not as easy as hoped. We also watch Will wander into some prickly ethical waters when he finds himself attracted to a young widow with a young son who he had to inform.
This movie starts off quite brilliantly focusing on something that we have seen in other movies but it is usually given short shrift in most stories surrounding the military. Director and co-writer Oren Moverman really scores in the opening scenes where Will is learning about his new duties. I was genuinely moved when his commanding officer referred to the duty of notification as "sacred." It was also fascinating watching the difference between Will's handling of the notifications as opposed to Stone, who appeared as if he had been doing this for a hundred years and was immune.
The individual scenes of notification were absolutely brilliant because they weren't just widows....each notification was a completely different story with different next of kin getting the notification and needless to say their reactions to the news were completely different as well. These scenes alone were worth the price of admission. Sadly, the film begins to go off the rails as Will's obsession with this widow takes center stage and just wrong as well as he and Stone's adventures into alcoholism, sexual debauchery and their crashing of Will's ex-girlfriend's engagement party, a scene that reminded me of the "Say Goodnight to the Bad Guy" scene in Scarface. Even when the film goes off course, what kept me watching was the ever-evolving relationship between Will and Tony which was exhausting to keep up with, but unerringly realistic. Another thing this story nails is what this war has done to these two guys and how the damage is irreparable.
Ben Foster delivers another ticking time bomb performance as Will that is never safe or predictable and Woody Harrelson's powerhouse turn as Tony Stone earned him his second Oscar nomination. Samantha Morton also hits all the right notes as Will's widowed obsession. Also loved Steve Buscemi as the father who learns of the death of his 20-year old son. The story tends to meander a little too much in the final third, but it is never boring and I never took my eyes off the screen or checked my watch.
The Messenger is a dark and at times gut-wrenching drama from 2009 that features a fascinating premise and some superb performances but suffers from a screenplay that wanders off in too many directions during the final third of the story.
Will Montgomery is a Staff Sergeant in the US Army who has been assigned to what is probably the most difficult work in the army. Will has been assigned to the notification unit. These are the soldiers who travel to the homes of men who have been killed in the line of duty to inform their next of kin. Under the tutelage of Captain Tony Stone, Will learns the ins and outs of this extremely difficult task of the military and finds sticking to the regulations is not as easy as hoped. We also watch Will wander into some prickly ethical waters when he finds himself attracted to a young widow with a young son who he had to inform.
This movie starts off quite brilliantly focusing on something that we have seen in other movies but it is usually given short shrift in most stories surrounding the military. Director and co-writer Oren Moverman really scores in the opening scenes where Will is learning about his new duties. I was genuinely moved when his commanding officer referred to the duty of notification as "sacred." It was also fascinating watching the difference between Will's handling of the notifications as opposed to Stone, who appeared as if he had been doing this for a hundred years and was immune.
The individual scenes of notification were absolutely brilliant because they weren't just widows....each notification was a completely different story with different next of kin getting the notification and needless to say their reactions to the news were completely different as well. These scenes alone were worth the price of admission. Sadly, the film begins to go off the rails as Will's obsession with this widow takes center stage and just wrong as well as he and Stone's adventures into alcoholism, sexual debauchery and their crashing of Will's ex-girlfriend's engagement party, a scene that reminded me of the "Say Goodnight to the Bad Guy" scene in Scarface. Even when the film goes off course, what kept me watching was the ever-evolving relationship between Will and Tony which was exhausting to keep up with, but unerringly realistic. Another thing this story nails is what this war has done to these two guys and how the damage is irreparable.
Ben Foster delivers another ticking time bomb performance as Will that is never safe or predictable and Woody Harrelson's powerhouse turn as Tony Stone earned him his second Oscar nomination. Samantha Morton also hits all the right notes as Will's widowed obsession. Also loved Steve Buscemi as the father who learns of the death of his 20-year old son. The story tends to meander a little too much in the final third, but it is never boring and I never took my eyes off the screen or checked my watch.