Rebel with a cause: but he gave it up

Rating: 8/10 (21 February 2005)

Very enjoyable film about a southerner who gleefully goes off to battle only to find it wasn't the grand adventure he had envisioned. Sick of the carnage he takes the long road home, experiencing many rough knocks as he does. The picture bounces back and forth from 1861 to 1863 showing us the man before and after his soldiering experience. Primarily we see his relationship with a woman as it gets a rocky start and gradually forms into something permanent. Many fine performances in the movie made it memorable; I particularly liked the interplay between Ruby and Ada. I had to laugh a couple of times at Ruby's habit of counting off points she wanted to make. Hilarious. Well played out ending; fit in well with the mood preceding it.