GoatPoda

This respectful documentary examines the post-traumatic lives of soldiers returning home from Iraq. The film is able to show small town America and the effects of a wounded son on a close family. It acknowledges the thousands of wounded Iraqi veterans, a number often overshadowed by a mounting death toll. But this film is not about war. It never pushes for an answer, and doesn't exploit the drama of war, but instead allows the people it documents to exist in their daily lives. In doing so we are provided a human portrait of the aftermath of war. The lives of every member of a family is effected by a wounded veteran. And the veterans themselves must wrestle with many personal issues from their wounds, to life outside the battlefront, but they find outlets to focus their new lives. America is full of heroes and good, honest people, and this film shows that without fanfare, but with respect.

I found myself staring at the screen in "Stranger Than Fiction" and waiting for something imaginative to happen. And it never did. I found myself daydreaming about how hysterical the outtakes must have been between such strong performers as Ferrell, Hoffman, Latifah, Thompson, and Gyllenthaal. But I sensed no magic. Now there are those who have praised this film as a mind bending experience akin to "The Truman Show", or "Adaptation". Whatever. Those were films that delighted their audience while challenging concepts of movie watching. It is not too smart, come on. Did the bakery anarchist need to drop out of HARVARD LAW SCHOOL for us to respect her? Amateurish. And Director Marc Forster paints his images in sepia dreary browns and rainy days. The professor MUST be a PROFESSOR because he drinks lots of coffee and has lots of books. The writer must be a WRITER because she chain smokes and thinks of DEATH. And poor Queen Latifah must have been standing around holding her umbrella wondering how she got in this boring movie in role that has her playing a modernized mammy. I blame a wasted two hours of my Saturday night on Marc Forster who did great work in the past, but here strived for something that didn't happen. Who hires Will Ferrell, puts min in a surreal comedy and asks him to act dull and boring the entire time? I hope others don't go see this film looking for a Will Ferrell comedy in a Charlie Kaufman script because they will be sadly disappointed.