À chacun sa guerre

It has been said that Vietnam is America's most unpopular war, but in light of both popular opinion and critical oversight, the namesake film may just inch Vietnam out of that role.

The title not only refers to the Vietnam War, which has an appropriate albeit very limited place in the film, but it also refers to the literal war that the children continuously wage with one another and the figurative war that rages within each of them...for identity and purpose.

Personally, I don't feel that "The War" deserves the press it received (or the lack thereof). It is a beautifully crafted film from its intricate, multi-layered story to its moving, realistic performances to its homestyle, nostalgic cinematography.

"The War" combines some of the best elements of "Forrest Gump" and "Fried Green Tomatoes." It captures the nostalgia of its timeframe, the innocence and naivete of youth, the situational humor of the moment, the consequences one's decisions and actions bring, and the tragedy of life. It even contains a couple of "musical" period moments.

Its structure harkens very closely to that of "To Kill a Mockingbird" (my favorite film). Both de-emphasize the star talent (Gregory Peck/Kevin Costner), who still performs remarkably and effectively in a supporting role. Both also utilize a (female) narrator who "bookends" the story in a quasi-flashback style, as well as plays a pivotal (if not the starring) role in the story. Each narrator tells the story of her brother and her father: their growth and what has been learned from and about them.

"Sometimes all it takes is a split second to do something you regret the whole rest of your life." What a great and appropriate theme for a film that few went to see. No wonder so many problems still exist in the world.

I never heard of this movie before today and I just saw it on TV. What a wonderful movie! I would recommend it to anyone. It is family friendly as well. I was very moved by the movie. As far as kids not talking that way, well, lets face it, people in general don't talk the way people do in movies. At least they weren't constantly swearing. Instead, they were saying intelligent and thoughtful things. I was really impressed by this movie as it emphasizes values in our society. There are many movies that do just the opposite and that alone is very revealing about our society. We seem to value sex, drugs and rock and roll above values and that is sad. The acting was wonderful also. Enjoy everyone!

"The War" is one of the few "kid" movies that takes itself seriously enough to be loved and appreciated by young and old audiences alike. I would have supported this film to the very end. After all, any vehicle that convincingly gives peace and love a chance deserves a little attention. (Peace and love are such rare qualities nowadays.)

The cast is excellent. Kevin Costner is a little stiff at the beginning but I think that's a good thing. Giving the younger (and equally talented) stars a chance to shine is a smart move on his part. He does get to cut loose in a few fleeting scenes. Also outstanding (when is he not?) is Elijah Wood (a.k.a. the next Tom Hanks) as Costner's angry, multi-layered, deeply troubled son. His frustrations are so well expressed that often times you feel like you could just step in and help him solve his problems.

What is worth fighting for? Nothing. Because as long as you have love, you have everything. Wisdom for both the kiddies and the grown-ups. Just be warned that the film does contain some strong violence and language.

With solid play acting by Kevin Costner and young Elijah Wood. The storyline could have been a bit more effective, and I felt the scenes from the war were so totally separate from the rest of it, they had little meaning in the film, the "madness" of the father did not appear in the film at all. Perhaps he was cured of it then, but somehow it would have felt better to concentrate on that aspect instead of the few action scenes about the war.

The end with the childrens' war was also a bit... too powerful, i.e. molotov cocktail's used by kids did seem a bit odd.

All in all, a rather solid movie that you should watch if you like a drama movie, but there are some better ones around.

This movie was wrongly overlooked when it came out. It has a lot to say and says it well, leaving the viewer with much to think about. It tells about poor country life in the early '70's from the view point of pre-teens. It touches on the Vietnam War through flashbacks and uses this as a study for the conflicts the children are facing. Their father is their link to the war. It deals with several kinds of hatred and its effects on the kids' lives. It also contrasts the kids' reactions to the father's.

Everything is done well. The children actors, led by Elijah Wood, do a really good job. Elijah was especially wonderful with the emotional out bursts he has to produce. Kevin Costner was surprisingly understated as the father and Mare Winningham is very good as the mother. I wish it was a bigger part. The part of the school teacher comes off a bit stereotypical but it works okay. Again, the kids carry the scene with their show of pride and willingness to stand by each other in adversity.

All in all, it's a good movie and good for older children to watch even though there is some strong language and violence. Actually, I think it's a bit mild for its PG-13 rating.



***1/2 out of ****