An Act of War

A brilliant, greatly underrated flick. Deeply immersive with a high degree of psychological realism in the context of a gritty hyper-realistic noir. The director/writer evinces an uncommonly acute understanding of human nature. The interactions of the protagonist with the three main characters, all on the fringe of society, are fascinating. Well, two of the three, anyway. The third was just a rotten SOB. The twist and the end, though done many times before, works nicely and was entirely unanticipated by me. I did not detect a false note in the entire movie. If you are a fan of Paul Schrader's work, this is right up your alley. Mr. Kennedy has an intriguing vision and I sincerely hope he gets a chance to make another movie.

I'm going to be honest, this film starts off slow. Poster and trailer sucked me in, and wasn't really what I was expecting. Wasn't really in the mood to put my thinking cap on, as I thought it was going to me a mindless movie with some action and suspense. There was suspense, however the action was substituted with legitimate substance. Kind of a re-imagining of Taxi Driver, but as a lover of Taxi Driver(I saw it in the theater when it came out), I've always wished there was more out there like it. Film has some shortcomings, but you've got to give it your attention because the ending will have you wanting to see it again. Wish I would have bought the damn thing instead of renting on iTunes. Definitely worth 90 minutes of your time. This Russ Russo guy blew me away.

Today is my 45th wedding anniversary, except my wife died February 12 of last year. Dealing with her death after the first year left me facing the black hole I have ignored for 52 years - Panel 01E, Line 79, the Wall. My best friend in the Army, whom I trained, died in Nam early on - December, 1963. As part of finally facing this, I have been reading some about the war, written by Vets - The Things They Carried (I was Infantry) and The Sorrow of War (by a North Vietnam Vet). This movie came along. I'm not a movie reviewer, not a movie historian, just an old guy that has seen a lot of movies and like dumb, mindless action flicks mostly with lots of colorful explosions, and maybe some breasts. And the good guys always win in the end. So don't expect sophistication.

This movie is for one, black and white noir. For two, is painfully slow for the first 30 minutes, picks up a bit the next 30 minutes, and has a decent ending. I found it very painful. So I rated it in the middle. I'm sure college kids taking movie appreciation classes will love it. It has all the noir ingredients that make movies so cool. They have not had to live this stuff.

Every Veterans Day, I go to town, order two pints of beer, drink one and bring my buddy up to date on what has happened, and leave - with one full pint left untouched. We made a deal 52 years ago and counting. I'm gonna keep it until I die, which hopefully won't be a lot of years from now. I first went to Nam in 1985 on a Veteran's project - point of the spear for normalizing relations - and was met by a vet from the project (and good friend) and we spent two of the craziest weeks I have ever had in (what was) North Vietnam. We cried a lot together, and separately, then came back escorting 7 Indian orphans (don't ask). Two months later he was dead from an overdose - his name, and many more like him, should be on the Wall, but are not.

This movie addresses that pain, well acted by them too young to have experienced it. I honestly don't know how to rate it. Did I like? No.

Will I forget it soon?

Probably never.

Is this really a movie review? Naw, just something I had to say. I will never forget this movie, and I will never like it, either. So a 5.

I was employed at a VA Hospital for two years. No matter what department you are in, you get to know some of the guys who are there on a regular basis. Hard to admit, but this is an all to frequent tale of someone unable to adapt once they make it home. It may be a bit dramatic or theatrical in places, but that's the idea of a fiction I guess. I just felt the need to say that from my experience, the plot of this film is not too far fetched to be believable. I wish I had a solution to the problem addressed in the story, but I don't think there is one beyond ending all conflict, which is never going to happen. As long as people are sent to fight the battles of more powerful people, these issues will persist. At least someone took the initiative to address it in a narrative form, which will make a lot more people aware of it that otherwise would be. This is not an action thriller as it's made out to be, but certainly worth the watch.

I did not know what to expect before watching this film. I was pleasantly surprised at finding this "gem" of a film. It is beautifully shot and composed. Hard to believe this was a "first effort" by writer/director Ryan Kennedy - he takes you to the side of town where bottles, hearts and bodies get broken. Looking forward to what he does next.

The cast, top to bottom, is excellent. The three leads, Russ Russo, Natasha Alam and Doug E. Doug give honest, nuanced performances. Watching Russo is painful and heart rending. He is brilliant and I believed everything about him. I look forward to seeing more from this "new" actor. Ms.Alam is tragic in her portrayal of Ivana - her emotion truthful and raw. Doug E. Doug is equally good, bringing a quirky, broken, surprisingly sympathetic character to life. He is almost childlike.

There are other noteworthy performances to mention. Robert Miano as "Sully," is natural and easy. Nothing "actory" about his performance. I have seen his work before and he is a craftsman.

The opening sequence of the film draws you in. The actor playing Lt. Sullivan, Chris LaPanta, is another actor I have never heard of - He is measured, controlled, believable and real. His performance is subtle and nuanced. You feel his fatigue and empathy.

My only criticism is that the film is a bit long/slow in spots. That said, I will add this film to my list of films i will watch again to find new and interesting moments and gladly recommend. Well done.