An Act of War

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.

I did not know what to expect before watching this film. I was pleasantly surprised at finding this "gem" of a film. It is beautifully shot and composed. Hard to believe this was a "first effort" by writer/director Ryan Kennedy - he takes you to the side of town where bottles, hearts and bodies get broken. Looking forward to what he does next.

The cast, top to bottom, is excellent. The three leads, Russ Russo, Natasha Alam and Doug E. Doug give honest, nuanced performances. Watching Russo is painful and heart rending. He is brilliant and I believed everything about him. I look forward to seeing more from this "new" actor. Ms.Alam is tragic in her portrayal of Ivana - her emotion truthful and raw. Doug E. Doug is equally good, bringing a quirky, broken, surprisingly sympathetic character to life. He is almost childlike.

There are other noteworthy performances to mention. Robert Miano as "Sully," is natural and easy. Nothing "actory" about his performance. I have seen his work before and he is a craftsman.

The opening sequence of the film draws you in. The actor playing Lt. Sullivan, Chris LaPanta, is another actor I have never heard of - He is measured, controlled, believable and real. His performance is subtle and nuanced. You feel his fatigue and empathy.

My only criticism is that the film is a bit long/slow in spots. That said, I will add this film to my list of films i will watch again to find new and interesting moments and gladly recommend. Well done.

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.

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

Today is my 45th wedding anniversary, except my wife died February 12 of last year. Dealing with her death after the first year left me facing the black hole I have ignored for 52 years - Panel 01E, Line 79, the Wall. My best friend in the Army, whom I trained, died in Nam early on - December, 1963. As part of finally facing this, I have been reading some about the war, written by Vets - The Things They Carried (I was Infantry) and The Sorrow of War (by a North Vietnam Vet). This movie came along. I'm not a movie reviewer, not a movie historian, just an old guy that has seen a lot of movies and like dumb, mindless action flicks mostly with lots of colorful explosions, and maybe some breasts. And the good guys always win in the end. So don't expect sophistication.

This movie is for one, black and white noir. For two, is painfully slow for the first 30 minutes, picks up a bit the next 30 minutes, and has a decent ending. I found it very painful. So I rated it in the middle. I'm sure college kids taking movie appreciation classes will love it. It has all the noir ingredients that make movies so cool. They have not had to live this stuff.

Every Veterans Day, I go to town, order two pints of beer, drink one and bring my buddy up to date on what has happened, and leave - with one full pint left untouched. We made a deal 52 years ago and counting. I'm gonna keep it until I die, which hopefully won't be a lot of years from now. I first went to Nam in 1985 on a Veteran's project - point of the spear for normalizing relations - and was met by a vet from the project (and good friend) and we spent two of the craziest weeks I have ever had in (what was) North Vietnam. We cried a lot together, and separately, then came back escorting 7 Indian orphans (don't ask). Two months later he was dead from an overdose - his name, and many more like him, should be on the Wall, but are not.

This movie addresses that pain, well acted by them too young to have experienced it. I honestly don't know how to rate it. Did I like? No.

Will I forget it soon?

Probably never.

Is this really a movie review? Naw, just something I had to say. I will never forget this movie, and I will never like it, either. So a 5.