Fort Bliss

Never heard this one before, accidentally found it on local cable TV today and it got my attention.

I was expecting more military action, but then I realized this film is not about war, it's about emotions. Very good acting by all the actors (not only by Michelle Monaghan) - that's something rare lately! She was awesome in the role, despite the story wasn't too.... vivid.

Despite I was expecting to see something more from this film, yet, I was not disappointed at the end.

My rating: 7/10

After a 15 month tour in Afghanistan, decorated Army medic Maggie Swann (Michelle Monaghan) returns to a cool reception. Her ex-husband Richard (Ron Livingston) is engaged to his pregnant girlfriend Alma (Emmanuelle Chriqui). Her son Paul doesn't remember her and views Alma more of a mother figure than her. She is still struggling with traumas from the tour and regular life is hard for her.

I really love Michelle Monaghan's performance as the hardened Maggie. Her relationship with her son is compelling. In fact, I prefer the movie just concentrating on that and leave out the romance. There's nothing wrong with the love story but it feels common. The mother-child story feels fresher. It takes the often-repeated story on a less traveled road.

SSG Swann was in the Afghanistan conflict as a combat medic, and she was exposed to some situations that no human that has not been in combat could understand. I think the film gives viewers a taste of what the most simple encounters there were like. I think it does a great job of explaining that sometimes you can never ever talk to your family or friends about your combat experience, or face judgement from them because of it. I'm not a female, and I'm married with kids, but I have personally witnessed this type of situation unfold. I've only discussed the most....I guess Boring parts... with them. There were some factual errors, sure, but they weren't too far off. If it weren't for the small factual errors (commissary open at night, what?), this would definitely get 10 stars from me.

I served 8 years in my state militia which is overseen by the National Guard. My father and stepfather served the military during wartime. My oldest son was deployed to Afghanistan. My wife served in the military for 27 years which meant that for the 21 years we have been together, I have been a military spouse. When she deployed to Kosovo a few years ago, I was stressed out to the max. Non-military people did not understand how I felt at all. My nine-year old son missed his mother badly. Upon my wife's return, we watch this movie and it brought tears to our eyes. It is raw, genuine and hits you between the eyes with military reality. I am very honored to have recently met Claudia Myers, the director, and I am very impressed with her passion to show military life as it actually happens. This is honest film making at its finest.

I spent several years stationed at Bliss while living In El Paso, and in the back of my head I expected more video of the installation. Nevertheless it was a good movie; Michelle and Manolo's performance was remarkable. I'd like to see a Fort Bliss 2 but I don't think it would be as good as the first.