A Namorada do Soldado

Of all the short stories from Tim O'Brien's book, "The Things They Carried", why did they pick this one? I could have picked better ones to put on the silver screen.

Otherwise, it did a good job, on the surface, of telling the story. But it seemed (to me, who has read the book) to unnecessarily drag on.

And what's up with the last scene? (Although I saw it coming for miles)

Another example of a good book turned into a mediocre movie

I think this is the first movie adaptation of a literary work that so closely and successfully follows its source material in tone and language. Vietnam veteran and author Tim O'Brien's short story occupies that shady ground between truths weirder than fiction and urban legend - and whether it's absolutely true or not really doesn't matter.

The film itself is a simple piece of atmosphere and sketches of character and psyche, with quiet, almost dream-like contrasts of naivete and brutality that drifts around the borders of the medical compound. During a lull in the action and off the front lines, the soldiers of the medical unit are only occasionally confronted with consequences of war, and never with the actuality of it, though it always hangs over their heads, personified by the Green Berets encamped nearby.

The "greenies" are rarely seen and almost never speak, coming and going from their violent encounters in the dark, like some strange mountain spirits. The mystery of the landscape, the war, and the promise of something _different_ seduce and ultimately swallow the "soldier's sweetheart."

The performances are spare and haunting, the premise intriguing, and the story fully captivating.

Tim O'Brien's combat experience was either not particularly well reflected or deliberately altered by the director to better frame the story. Regardless, once you accept the premise, the movie became in many ways reminiscent of, perhaps a precursor to, Apocalypse Now. Marianne's descent into her own heart of darkness (though somewhat stagey) still illuminated the central question effectively. In a summer filled with cartoon cutouts going through their paces in front of blue screens, it was refreshing to watch a movie (even a flawed movie) which attempted greater things.

This starts out with the feel of kind of a dumb love story (the guy imports his girl from America into Vietnam and she becomes the little sister of the whole squad). But it then becomes about her reaction to the experience of being around war and death and takes some really unexpected turns. Excellent acting by all of the main characters and an ending that leaves you sort of wandering what just happened. A very satisfying movie experience.

Obviously those who said the ending was a "total cop-out" have obviously NOT read the story on which it's based on. The story, "The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong," I believe, ended the exact same way the movie did. You're left not knowing exactly what happened to Marianne, only a few stories that've been swapped around.

A haunting story indeed, of an ignorant little girl brought to Hell. Kiefer Sutherland portrays Rat Kiley perfectly. Skeet Ulrich actually acts for a change. All in all, one of the better unknown Vietnam movies that has been made in recent years. But it isn't for everyone, I can promise you that. If you don't like how the story's ending just kind of fizzles, then don't bother with the movie. Mainly because you've been entranced by Hollywood's "gotta know everything and have the 'happily-ever-after' " endings that every crappy movie has been given in the last 10 years.

Bravo to the filmmakers for providing the audience with a beautiful renditioning of a wonderful short story.