Powerful

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

This is a fine movie that respectful remembrance to those who have served in the military. However, the movie is not a polemic purporting militarism. Rather, it provides a thoughtful and sensitive retrospective on what it means to be in the military. The movie shows that that the American soldier is essentially a civilian who has been asked to become a soldier, which challenges one's sense of identity. The main character, Lieutenant Vogel is, by nature, not a violent person, yet in his role as an soldier he must commit violent acts, which leaves both physical and emotional scars. The movie effectively shows how this remains true even in more recent conflicts involving American soldiers. The United States is not by nature militaristic and regimented, thus when American soldiers are ordered into combat, they may have to perform acts that go against their essentially peaceful nature. And to perform those acts requires a level of bravery and courage that makes the American soldier the strongest and best soldiers in the world.

Very mild spoilers dealing with the plot. Should not ruin the movie if you choose to view it. This movie is tastefully and eloquently executed in telling the story of a grandfather and grandson who both experience the ugliness of war, two generations apart. It addresses in part why so many veterans do not talk about what they witnessed. It touched me in several ways. Those who watched with me sometimes laughed, sometimes cringed, and occasionally shed a few tears.This is the best performance I have seen from James Cromwell. He was very convincing as the grandfather reliving painful memories with a curious grandson who would not take no for an answer. The boy found a chest full of souvenirs on memorial day and wanted to know what they were and why grandfather kept them.Inside most veterans of war there are two personalities.One is the "protector". He or she cannot speak of the ugliness experienced because that would expose loved ones to the horror of war they intend to shield them from. Neither do they want loved ones to know the violence they were capable of. I learned that from my father but did not fully understand until he was gone.I became a protector myself after Vietnam. Fighting a war on foreign soil in the hope it would never come to my home land. It still goes on to this very day with new generations.The other personality is the "avoider". He or she is the one with the hidden psychological wounds that need to be healed but the veteran is unwilling to talk about it. Afraid to let the monsters out as if they lived in a "Pandora's box". The vet is fearful the demons and ugliness might be overwhelming. And the memories can be very painful so they keep them suppressed. When my father learned I was to be drafted in 1966 he spoke to me of only a few things he witnessed in WWII. I suspect he wanted to prepare me mentally for what I was about to experience. Even then he could only reveal small bits of information.Most decent men and women who experience war do not want to talk about it because it is ugly. There is no glory in war itself. Only in the halting of cruelty is there glory and honor.This movie deals very cleverly with the experiences of veterans. It addresses war rather factually revealing how sad it is to watch someones life slip away much too soon. The murder that occurs in wars is always random, it is just a matter of bad luck that one soldier aims at the person next to you and you are spared. Or that you are only wounded and sent to be "repaired". Purely random, lousy, luck.The horror of war does its damage to the emotional, psychological part of the human. Decent people are sometimes forced to make choices in war that they would NEVER make other wise. And the pain of that lives with them till death or until the memories fade due to something similar to Alzheimer's.I can wholeheartedly recommend this movie for the way it addresses some most important issues. It may not be suitable for young ones because a few of the scenes being relived in the memory of the veterans get quite realistic.This is a good movie, part of me wishes it was required viewing for 12th grade students.

Wow! What a surprise. Went in not expecting much and was hooked! The trunk that young Vogel found was identical to my grandfathers! I used the trunk in college. Never asked my grandfather about the war, all I knew he was a postman. He also won a bronze star. Because of this I really connected to the movie. While watching the movie all I could think of was the questions I did not ask. It did bring a tear to my eye!Switching back and forth between now and WWII worked well. The parallels between characters was very believable. As another reviewer said: "have Kleenex available!"

I was lucky enough to see a screening of this film, and was blown away. To echo the reviews below, it's more than a war movie, it's a family movie. The movie crosses multiple generations, and encompasses stories from two wars. For those from the WWII generation this will bring back their own memories from a time with the war was very much part of their daily life. For those with loved ones serving now it gives a real face to what is happening. For everyone else it's a solid reminder that memories are stories that need to be shared, that burdens can't be carried alone and that all generations have something to give to one another. Additionally, it teaches us that Memorial Day is more than a time for picnics and BBQ, more than just a free day off and a parade but that it's a day when we honor and remember.I strongly recommend this for anyone, not just those with military ties.