Jacknife

War is not fun... or least it shouldn't be. Whoever it doesn't leave physically scarred it leaves emotionally, mentally, and psychologically scarred. Some have deeper scars than others.

Joseph "Megs" Megasy (Robert De Niro) was scarred and he was working daily to heal. David (Ed Harris) was also scarred, but he turned to the bottle for his healing. The two of them were part of the same unit with a third friend whom they lost in Vietnam. It affected them both deeply and it showed.

Megs was determined to reach out and grab a hold of Dave no matter what. He was so determined that I didn't know what to expect from Megs. The movie started with Megs banging on Dave's door at the crack of dawn waking up the entire neighborhood. I thought for sure that Megs was going to be an untamable loose cannon capable of great harm. I was wrong. There was a method to his madness, and it was in the name of helping another veteran in need.

I liked "Jacknife" a lot. This is probably my favorite movie dealing exclusively with mental and emotional recovery from Vietnam. There were other post-Vietnam movies like "Deerhunter" and a few others I can't readily recall, but this has to be my favorite. It showed the tragic effect the war had on those soldiers without being too tragic. That is to say that the vets weren't robbing banks, or killing people, or committing suicide--that was a tragedy I didn't want to see.

There was also a soft side to "Jacknife" as Megs developed an adult yet romantic relationship with Martha (Kathy Baker), Dave's sister. This was no fireworks upon first sight, or a deeply passionate romance, rather it was a slowly kindled fire that never blazed but burned quietly.

The message of "Jacknife" was clear: get veterans the help they need. Part of that needed help is commiserating with other vets. Maybe, just maybe, they need their brothers in arms more post-war than they did during war.

A good video selection of a movie, especially if you have not seen it before, ...if you can't find a New Release you'd like to look at. Robert De Niro, Kathy Baker, and Ed Harris supply a well rounded look of 'Healing'. Kathy Baker was just great as a supporting role.

I missed Viet Nam by one year, my draft number was high enough in the year that the severe de-escalation started. This is not a 'Platoon', or 'Full Metal Jacket'. This film is about a couple of Vets in the years' aftermath. Takes place back in the States, after the War is over. Very few flashbacks were done, but were neccessary to bring context to the film. Ed Harris plays the one person who is in the most pain, and is always on the edge of hurting others because of it. Kathy Baker plays his sister. Robert De Niro was just perfect for the part he played, as he comes into both their lives. It is not a perfect film, or screenplay; but the the actors pull it off. I believe Ed Harris was nominated for a certain award for his efforts (not Oscar, another kind).

You don't have to have been to Viet Nam to appreciate this movie. Though it is about the aftermath of Viet Nam experience, it can also be about Self. About how we have these opposites within ourself and how the best parts of ourself, even though they may be injured, try to reach out and save the most darkest part that we have. That movie describes what I just wrote and I could not avoid tears, myself, toward the movie's end. If you just stay with it; you may know or appreciate what I mean.

I cherish each and every frame of this beautiful movie. It is about regular people, people we all know, who suffer a little in their life and have some baggage to carry around. Just like all of us. Robert DeNiro, Ed Harris and Kathy Baker breathe life into their portrayals and are all excellent, but Harris is especially heartbreaking and therefore very real. You would swear he really is a trucker who drinks so he won't have to feel anything. Baker as his put-upon sister also has some delicate moments - when DeNiro gives her flowers in one scene, it seems like she was never given flowers before and probably wasn't. Very worthwhile.

David Jones's "Jacknife" basically looks at how war messes people up. Megs (Robert DeNiro) and Davey (Ed Harris) try to push forward with their lives, but their experience in Vietnam will color their existence forever. This becomes all too apparent with the incident during the prom.

I understand that this movie is based on a play. I've never seen the play, so I can't compare it. What I can say is that DeNiro and Harris put on intense performances, as does Kathy Baker. This is the sort of movie that hits you like a brick in the face. It's not a masterpiece, but worth seeing as a look at what had become of the Vietnam vets in the US. To this day, we still haven't gotten over that war (and we're nowhere near getting over any of the wars launched amid the so-called war on terrorism).

Watch for an early appearance of Charles S. Dutton, and a young Jessalyn Gilsig (Terri on "Glee").

It really is worth watching because of all the different characters in it.You can get something from each one. I've seen it 6/7 times and have not tired of it yet. It touches home with me because I was in the military at that time and know of the problems of the returning vet. If you weren't there,maybe this will help you to understand the ones that were.I'm still looking for that perfect woman that Ed Harris talks about. Watch it with your favorite girl and maybe you will find out that you have found her. Who says that Kathy Baker is not beautiful? Her inner beauty just glows here along with a girl next door kind of looks.I still say that De Nero is the best and this only shows it more. I'm only sorry that this is not yet available in my region in DVD and don't really know why.Those of you in regions that have it in DVD are lucky.