Funny Yet Tragic Drama

Rating: 8/10 (15 January 2006)

Sam Mendes is an Oscar winning director and it shows why in this heartfelt film. From the opening to ending voice-overs he creates one of the funniest yet tragic movies of the year. It details the lives of the men who invaded Iraq the first time round and shows their pain and angst as they wait for the war to come to them. Beautifully shot, it comes with a cracking script full of snappy one liners("Don't use your dicks to measure the distance because they're too small!") and a great supporting cast.
But at the centre of the film its Jake Gyllenhaal who truly shines. He captures Zwoff's Strong willingness to go to war, as his father did, but at the same time his vulnerable side shown when they find the burnt out vehicles and the fried bodies on the motorway as the civilians tried to escape. He is "the" rising star of Hollywood and its good to see it wasn't a one off stellar performance after the amazing "Brokeback Mountain". Had it been any other year, he would be going to the Oscars with nominations in hand but as a result 2005 has been such a great year for movies that only the best of the best will ever see the podium.
Also giving another Oscar worthy performance is Jamie Foxx, still riding high after the tour De force ride that was "Ray". But again it doesn't look possible due to the competition but you never know what could happen in Hollywood. Peter Sarsgaard is also fabulous as is Oscar winner Chris Cooper in his blink and you'll miss him cameo. The rest of the cast is great too, but would take all day to mention names.
An original, thought-provoking take on a well worn genre but luckily Mendes and his cast have pulled out all the stops to rise above the clichés. It'll make you laugh out loud for the first hour and then they get down to some good old gritty drama in the second. One of the best war movies i've seen in years, its just too bad that it won't get the awards interest it so truly deserves!