Welcome to the Suck

Rating: 8/10 (22 March 2006)

I was a little comprehensive about Jarhead getting made into a film. I loved the book and just couldn't see it made into a movie. It truly seemed impossible because of the way the book was written. It really just didn't seem like it would work at all. Anthoney Swofford is a very touching "character" and of course a very real one. The plot is great. Many things have been changed from the book but they still work very well, surprisingly well. The acting is very good all around. Jake Gyllenhaal is very, very good but he is better in Brokeback Mountain. Jamie Foxx is even better than Gyllenhaal giving one of his best performances to date. Chris Cooper is also very good in an almost cameo performance. Peter Sarsgaard is though the standout performance. He is amazing and may even top his brilliant performance in Garden State. He is a brilliant Troy. Sam Mendes is one of the best directors working today. He deserved Oscars for both American Beauty and Road to Perdition and he is just as good here. Even if Jarhead came out in a stronger year so he doesn't do the best direction of the year, but he is of course very close. The cinematography is amazing and maybe the best of the year. The art direction, costume design and such are also amazing. A surprisingly brilliant war film that is one of the must see films of the year.