Secrets of a Marine's Wife

So the story is the usual rubbish that's churned out on TV for people that enjoy staying at home all day and eating chips. It doesn't really bring anything new to the table, we've seen this so many times before.

Dear Hollywood;

How are you, I am fine. Well, I am kinda fine. My name is Jim and I am a writer, and some think I'm a pretty good one. Oh, and I'm a Veteran. A Disabled Veteran, but You know - I don't bring that stuff up a lot. But... and I don't wanna keep harping on it, but you have screwed the pooch yet again on the most recent military-type movie, "Secrets of a Marine wife." This is a movie that COULD have been at LEAST good, but yet again, ten bucks would have been all that was needed for this steaming turd to be decent. If I said it once I've said it a gazillion times: THE MILITARY DOES NOT ALLOW MEN TO HAVE BANGS DOWN TO THE UPPER LIP. They didn't during WWI, they didn't in the 1940's during WWII, they didn't when I was in during the Gulf wars....hell, they didn't allow it in the 1960's - 70's during the hippie years. You cast this dude who looked like a character in "American Pie," with an earlobe-length bowl cut. Ugh. And what's with everybody wearing their dog tags out of their T shirts? Or outside of our shirt at an off-duty weekend BBQ by the pool? Just so the world knows - we have dog tags, yes, but we don't wear them outside of our shirts playing volleyball like in "Top Gun." Most of us, if it isn't wartime, take them off and stick them in our sock drawer. Our hair, for men, cannot touch our rear collar. And, it cannot touch our ears (either in length OR poofyness). I am screaming it out to the WORLD.....IF YOU ARE MAKING A MOVIE about the military, or even one that just mentions the military, if there are any military people in it, hire a guy or gal to consult! Active duty or retired...my God.... I beg you!! Signed, you Orly weary pal, Jim

As for this movie in all other ways it was decent. The actors were decent the story was true so you know THAT was decent, and the actors actually performed well, even the ones that aren't actors by profession! It's just hard for a guy like me who was in the military to watch these types of things - it hurts! Nobody cares enough to so much as ASK a veteran or active duty milirary member to consult with one to get even the most basic customs right. It makes Vets and/or AD Military look lazy.

This is based on a true story. I live in the town where it happened. They did not depict marines accurately. She was not killed in Joshua Tree National Park, but in the desert east of 29 Palms. They did not film in the desert and it was obvious it was not our area. The acting was ok.

I'm a big fan of LMN movies and usually grade them on a curve. This is actually just a good movie period. No curve needed. 9 stars.

I am a huge fan of Mom. I always thought of Sadie Calvano's performance there a little sub-par. She's definitely improved greatly since then. She shines here and steals the show with some very fine acting. (Well, she has to. She's the star.) Will be interesting to see if she can move out of the LMN genre onto the big screen.

The style of showing the after event interviews mixed in with the storyline can be tricky to pull off. I've seen it overdone on LMN and elsewhere. They didn't do a lot of it here until close to the end and it worked well.

As noted by others, a big goof is the cool-looking 70's haircut on Chris is nothing you would see an active marine wearing. But this hardly ruins the movie.

I actually had no idea this was based on true events until the ending credits. Had it not been, then it wouldn't be anything close to creative writing for this genre, as it was very predictable. But the fact it is based on real events, you'll tend to cut the story some slack, and have sympathy for those who needed it.

The directing and cinematography was decent, and the acting for the most part convincing. The 84 min runtime was decent with the adequate pacing. I just wish Lifetime would tone down the constant and overbearing typical "Lifetime-style" background music. Nevertheless, an enjoyable one-time watch.