A Melhor Escolha

Greetings from Lithuania.

"Last Flag Flying" (2017) has to say something about war and politics. It does not like either of them. What i did like about this movie was not its message, perhaps, but acting and writing. On its core its a 2 hours road movie with some war veterans who share some dark secret. There are no revelations at the end of they journey, but there is some sort of accomplishment of what they did on the road.

Overall, while "Last Flag Flying" isn't as good as Richard Linklater's previous movies (far from it), i did enjoy this picture entirely because of veteran actors doing good job and reading fine lines. This is a very anti-war movie without a war and a solid road drama.

Greetings again from the darkness. Apprehension and trepidation are the emotions that strike whenever anyone compares a movie to the classic 1973 Hal Ashby/ Jack Nicholson film THE LAST DETAIL. That holds true even if the novel the film is based on was written by the same author (Darryl Ponicson) who wrote "The Last Detail" (1970), and even if the new film is directed by one of the finest directors working today – Richard Linklater. This latest doesn't play like a true sequel, but the reuniting of three men who served together in Vietnam does hammer home a couple of interesting statements while also delivering the type of dramedy that 2017 audiences tend to connect with.

Larry "Doc" Shepherd (Steve Carell), a former Navy medic, has had the type of year that no one deserves. It's 2003 and he has just been notified that his Marine son was killed in action while on duty in the war in Iraq. This comes only a few months after Doc lost his beloved wife to breast cancer. It's too much for him to handle on his own, so he embarks on a mission to ask his Vietnam buddies from three decades prior to accompany him to claim his son's body at Arlington National Cemetery.

His two buddies are former Marines Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) and Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishbourne). Sal is a washed out dive bar owner and Mueller is now the Reverend at a small church. The three men share the burden of a war secret that each has tried to forget, and they begin what's basically a road trip movie of middle aged men bonding during what is the absolute low point in life for one of them. Simultaneously, it also seems like an opportunity for all three to rejoin the living.

Lost idealism is the shared trait now among the three men, though their levels of cynicism vary. Edwin Starr sang it, and the characters in this movie openly question: War … What is it good for? Doc, Sal and Mueller have separated themselves from memories of war in three distinct ways – family, booze, and God. It's only by reconnecting with each other that they begin the long overdue process of reflection. TV's are tuned to the capture of Saddam Hussein from the spider-hole, and the similarities of the Vietnam and Iraq wars are contemplated. These are patriotic men who once trusted the government, but are now so disenchanted they ask "what's the point?"

Mr. Cranston has the showiest role, but it's Mr. Carell who shines as the still-in-shock father. J Quinton Johnson also excels as the young Marine charged with accompanying the gentlemen, and the best scene of the film features Cicely Tyson as the mother of a long ago fallen soldier who crossed paths with the three leads. As you might expect in a Linklater movie, the musical choices are unusual and spot on. Bob Dylan ("Not Dark Yet"), Neil Young ("Old Man"), Eminem ("Without Me"), and Levon Helm ("Wide River to Cross") are all included.

The film is certainly an unusual blend of comedy, tragic drama, and contemporary political commentary. Unfortunately, the contrivances are too many and too frequent to allow the film and characters to breathe and achieve the greatness of a true message movie. It teases us with flashes us brilliance and then pokes us in the ribs with another goofy sidebar as if to say "just kidding". It seems this would have been better served as an intimate portrayal of these three aging men who were willing to die for their country than as a giant political anti-war statement and an accusation of how evil the government is. The ultimate message Linklater drills home: be a good friend, and be a good person. We can never have enough of those.

When looking at the total body of work of writer/director/producer Richard Linklater, it would appear that this is a guy that relishes on throwing the movie going public constant curveballs. From the indie darling "Slacker," (which people like Kevin Smith cite as a film that helped them become a filmmaker to begin with) to the "Before" trilogy with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, cult hits like "Dazed and Confused" and "SubUrbia" and the Oscar darling "Boyhood," his diversity in storytelling is one that makes sure that can challenge both himself and the audience. When I found out that his latest venture was adapting and directing Darryl Poniscan's novel (which Poniscan also helped with the screenplay) "Last Flag Flying," I was definitely intrigued by yet another left turn for Linklater.

In this film set near the end of 2003, Steve Carell plays Larry "Doc" Shepherd, who shows up at the bar owned by Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) after not seeing each other for almost thirty years since they served in the Marine Corps in Vietnam together. With shared experiences that they are not sure they want to talk about, they seek out their third running buddy from those days in Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne), who is now a reverend in a small church. As they are all catching up with each other, Shepherd drops on them his reason for getting together: his son (a Marine himself) has been killed overseas, and he wants Mueller and Nealon to come with him to not only help bury him but along the way heal themselves and each other.

This film was a pleasant surprise for me. The vibe that I got from the one sheet and reading about it was one where I thought would venture into darkness and politics quickly and for the duration of the two hours that it would be on the screen. While there is not much more than a smattering of preachiness here, it is Poniscan's story of these three characters that is relied on to keep things moving, as it should be. These three actors are such powerhouses in their own rights that their work together makes this story even more powerful and even fun. There are some great comedic moments, driven mostly by Cranston's character, that keep the balance of "Last Flag Flying" in perfect harmony with its drama and emotion.

There is also a "name to watch" here in J. Quinton Johnson. Mainly known for being one of the victims of the horrid "Dirty Dancing" experiment earlier this year, don't let that fool you. This young man, as the best friend of Shepherd's son who was there with him when he passed, shows amazing emotional range and compassion that shines through even as he shares the frame with some of the biggest actors of the last three decades. His performance is truly impressive, and I look for much bigger things for him in the future.

Amazon Studios continues to gain steam with their cinematic choices, and along with Lionsgate, they have another winner with "Last Flag Flying". Releasing over Veterans' Day weekend, this is a very respectful and engaging telling of a tale of our service men and women both current and former that runs the gambit of emotion and is truly a great way to spend a couple of hours in any form.

This film passed me by and what a great surprise it turned out to be, having just watched this superbly written piece, that skillfully captured the sometimes futility of war. The cast were superb and in a subject that could have been dour and difficult to watch, a perfect balance was achieved. Even a moment of hilarity brilliant acted with Cranston left to indulge himself. Was Steve Carrell really laughing.....maybe. I simply loved the end, a fitting end to a superb film.

This film was excellent. For a drama, it had a lot of light moments. Bryan Cranston, Lawrence Fishburne, Steve Carrell and J. Quinton Johnson were great. As a Vietnam Veteran, I related to this very well. I won't give any spoilers here but it touched home for me. A movie worth seeing.