An Act of War

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.

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 Thought this was a brilliant watch! I stumbled across it by accident and read the bio. I was intrigued from the get go and decided to give it a watch. This is a truly epic film. Very dark and one can only assume close to some war vets reality.

I got a feel for nickys character straight away, the way he portrayed himself when people spoke to him, he did a fantastic performance.

A sad film which highlights our hero's war isn't over when returning from service.

Great story from start to finish

A must watch

Jacob, a veteran of the military has been released from duty and now faces the world he sought to protect. Unaware that he suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from his capture and torture from enemy forces. Trying to make sense of his life, he leads a dreary existence as a projectionist for a run down theater in a poor neighborhood. He is surrounded with older run down mementos that remind of a happier past before the military. The people in his life also suffer the ills of the world around them; not catching a break from poor decisions. All these people intertwine with Jacob and lead to a tale of self destruction. This subject is something of a hotbed and not nearly addressed enough by society. We send strapping young lads into war but are never prepared to deal with the consequences and the products of such devastation.

And what of these heroes when they return? Many of them become homeless, unemployed, even worse they are ignored. Ryan Kennedy brings out a brilliant tale that taunts shocking realism for the men and women in our armed forces. This vision complimented with the black and white cinematography brands this sense of isolationism and angst. It's a call for healing to those who suffered and need our attention. The world is too busy to help another human being much less a soldier who has served his time. The performance by Russ Russo as Jacob was heartfelt. The audience can easily connect with the protagonist and is carried through his journey of despair and the people around him that offer no solace. The cast had brought the dialog from Ryan to life completing the vision of this sad tale. This film is exclusively distributed on Kickstarter digitally and the campaign will finance its theatrical release. This movie needs to be shared as it is a beautiful piece of cinematography with a grueling story to tell.

I was inspired to write this review not just because this movie was particularly fantastic but because of the very powerful and emotional review by my brother veteran from Vietnam. I'm also a Veteran, but I was in Iraq and Afghanistan. I don't know what my brother went through in Vietnam, but I know what I experienced in the desert. And it brought me to some dark places. I was lucky, I don't suffer from severe PTSD and I made it home with all of my body intact. But many of my friends did not. Some are great, but some have been trapped in a very dark place.

I expected this movie to trivialize that experience, or to use it as a tool laden with clichés. I expected another movie about a crazy vet who thinks he's the love child of Rambo and Charles Bronson. But it's not that at all. Instead, it's a brilliantly told and beautifully shot neo-noir film that shows a nuanced slide further into darkness and madness. This isn't a story about a crazy vet gone mad, it's a story about a sick man, who happens to be a vet and loses himself to the darkness.

Was it hard for me to watch it at times? Absolutely. Especially when I could see slivers of people I know, friends, brothers and sisters who served with me who have struggled with the darkness. But unlike my brother from Vietnam, I did like it. No, I loved it. This film could have been trite and awful and I could see someone who only watched the trailer or read the description as assuming that's what it is. But the film itself is awesome. And while it may be hard at times for some, that's true about a lot of great stories, especially in film form.

But the acting by Russ Russo as Jacob is superb. Nuanced, authentic, raw and engaging. Natasha Alam was also fantastic and took what could have been a cheap, trashy role and played it with remarkable reality. I especially loved Doug E. Doug as Marlon. His character provides a levity and human touch that's both necessary and superbly done. Why isn't he in more roles like this?

Visually, the film is stunning. Not a single scene misses and the visual component alone makes the film worth watching. I can't believe that this is Ryan Kennedy's first film as a Director. And I actually found the pacing to be almost perfect. The only exception might be a few scenes with the Detective. But even then, it's subtle and still works.

All in all, this movie is superb. I can't recommend it enough and I'm so happy I stumbled upon it on Amazon. I plan on watching it again with my wife tonight. And I'm looking forward to seeing what this director does next! Do yourself a favor and watch this film. I can't believe that it's current score is as low as it is.