Director Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don't Cry) directs this intensely intimate military drama that succeeds by its nature as a personal tome rather than a preachy polemic (see Lions for Lambs). Sgt. Brandon King (the still fighting for cred Ryan Phillippe) returns from Iraq triumphantly in the eyes of his home town but personally devastated and distraught by the things he has seen at his young age. He is even more troubled to discover that in the wake of lessening troops and ongoing battle, he and some of his friends have been "stop-lossed" meaning that they will return to war despite completing their tour of duty. He sets about, at first, to reason his way out of it. Then he resorts to less savory measures of evasion. Ultimately, he is forced to face his demons and his responsibilities in a tragic, unforgiving tale of lives lost and souls broken. Channing Tatum, Abbie Cornish, and the always superb Joseph Gordon-Levitt also star.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
DVD of the Week: Stop-Loss
Director Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don't Cry) directs this intensely intimate military drama that succeeds by its nature as a personal tome rather than a preachy polemic (see Lions for Lambs). Sgt. Brandon King (the still fighting for cred Ryan Phillippe) returns from Iraq triumphantly in the eyes of his home town but personally devastated and distraught by the things he has seen at his young age. He is even more troubled to discover that in the wake of lessening troops and ongoing battle, he and some of his friends have been "stop-lossed" meaning that they will return to war despite completing their tour of duty. He sets about, at first, to reason his way out of it. Then he resorts to less savory measures of evasion. Ultimately, he is forced to face his demons and his responsibilities in a tragic, unforgiving tale of lives lost and souls broken. Channing Tatum, Abbie Cornish, and the always superb Joseph Gordon-Levitt also star.
