The Situation

It doesn't really matter which side of the political spectrum you come from, this movie will get you thinking. The horror of daily existence in Iraq, the violence and insecurity, the hatred and hopelessness. The good people trying to survive the bad situation, and the bad people who thrive in this hell on earth. And, of course, obvious to every thinking person, the lack of any viable solution for these, for centuries victimized people. This is a brave little independent movie with beautifully etched characters, and powerful massage. You can not bring democracy by force. Force brings only more force and more blood. Avoiding these facts might be politically prudent, but it is morally abhorrent.

This film sums up what I have come to believe about the war in Iraq, and does it very well. Almost all of the other comments on it in this forum are accurate, in my estimation. It's remarkable that so much was accomplished with so little money-roughly one percent of the budget of Apocalypse Now, for example. The production values are so high in most respects that I have to conclude that the confusing ambient sound track was a conscious choice of the director's. The story is told, at times, from the viewpoint of the Iraqi characters, a remarkable feat in itself. At least a third of the dialogue is in Arabic, with subtitles. Like "Three Kings", the film shows the Iraqis not as villains or caricatures, but just as people stuck in a crummy situation for which America is responsible. One of the other reviewers quotes Damien Lewis' character stating the basic premise of the film:"There is no truth, you know....It's just that the truth shifts according to each person you talk to." The reviewer came close, but he missed one line that summed up The Situation for me: "...because the truth is covered over with layers of agenda."

Finally, if, ten or fifteen years from now, anyone is still interested in what was going on in the American war in Iraq, this film stands as the most convincing description I've seen.

For me this movie is right up there with movies like Traffic, Syriana and Bloody Sunday, offering a kaleidoscopic view into a very complex political situation. You're taken into the heart of the Iraqi conflict and you'll get to look at the situation from different sides. From people living there, having to deal with their daily hardships and things getting worse all the time, from a reporters perspective, from the American military trying to restore order, etc. etc. Rather than taking sides, this movie shows you it's about people. And they all look at the situation differently. It's just like the Dan Murphy (Damian Lewis) in the movie states: "There is no truth, you know. It's not about locking up all the bad guys. It doesn't work like that. There are no bad guys and there are no good guys. It's not gray, either. It's just that the truth shifts according to each person you talk to."

This movie is good. And I mean really well done. If you are looking for a movie without too much political agenda, then this is the one. It takes you right on the ground, on the streets and in the houses of Iraq. It showcases the torment and mistrust that has grown in the hearts of people there. It has the look and feel of an indie, at the same time it is very well made. The acting is very good, at all the levels. The movie needs a careful viewing. It is NOT an action movie. It is a well spun out drama with very good character building and a superbly evolving storyline. This is my pick from all the movies on Iraq, along with No End In Site.

Great story about the chaos and constant change of events in Iraq and the damage caused from miscommunication. The movie provides a view into what happens when multiple entities are trying to work together while at the same time each is more interested in their own agenda. The multiple entities in this film included the CIA, the US Military, the Iraq police, an Iraq community leader, and an Iraq underground leader. In addition to these groups there was also a reporter and photographer smack in the middle. The movie is a fictional film, however it was written by a reporter who has been in Iraq for a long time, not embedded with the US military, but out working on her own, therefore even though the movie is a fictional film it is based on the realities of living and working in this war torn part of our world. The casting was excellent and the story unfolded perfectly. This movie required the viewer to pay attention and keep track of the players and each of their agendas. It was fast paced and kept the audience involved. It was not a "Hollywood" film full of gratuitous violence, but instead a deeper story about the people involved. I saw this movie at the Palm Springs Film Festival and also enjoyed the Q&A session which followed the movie. It is a provocative film that evokes an emotional reaction from the viewers regarding their opinions about the US being in Iraq, which was demonstrated during the Q&A session! One of the goals of the film is to provide a starting point for discussing the war and the events in Iraq. It is not a political statement, but instead a method to get people actively involved again.