A solemn and occasionally humorous story of three reunited friends and their ways of dealing with the effects of PTSD

Rating: 7/10 (23 August 2018)

Last Flag Flying is a comedy-drama film directed by Richard Linklater (Boyhood, School of Rock) and based on the novel of the same name by Darryl Ponicsan. Starring Steve Carrell, Bryan Cranston, and Lawrence Fishburne in the lead roles, it is a solemn and occasionally humorous story of three reunited friends and their ways of dealing with the effects of PTSD.
In 2003, Doc (Steve Carrell), a Vietnam War veteren, meets up with his fellow soldiers Sal (Bryan Cranston) and Mueller (Lawrence Fishburne). Doc reveals that his only son has been recently killed in the Iraq War and that would like the two of them to accompany him in bringing the body home for a proper burial. Sal accepts right away but Mueller is reluctant due to his new lifestyle as a clean-cut Reverend, but after some persuasion by his wife, the two join Doc in his lengthy journey back home.
Well-acted and carefully paced, Last Flag Flying is a respectable film about the effects of war on those who fought in it without the need to actually show the war itself. Each of the three lead actors did a fine job, in particular Bryan Cranston, who is responsible for some much needed comic relief during the film's more depressing moments. The film's simple plot allows for some engaging dialogue between the three friends to be real cause for holding the viewer's attention and, as a result, we are given an interesting look into the mindset of each of the three veterans and how they each cope with the post-war trauma, whether it's through light-hearted comedy or by following Christian principles laid out in the Bible.
I rate it 7/10