This movie grounds me and reminds me that my problems are relatively insignificant.

Rating: 9/10 (24 May 2011)

WE WERE SOLDIERS (2002) - This movie fascinates me because it depicts a story based on truth and the real men who fought. Vietnam is always a touchy subject. I was too young to understand it. All I know is that the first half hour makes these men real. They had wives, children, a home back at Fort Benning filled with things every other home had. But not every home was missing a father for a couple of years or, perhaps, for a lifetime like the ones in this film.
Mel Gibson is always believable to me. I think he embodied Lt. Col. Hal Moore. No, I don't know Moore, but he's not Gidson on that screen. That's the sign of a great actor (regardless of the bad press he's had in the last year or so). This film is gory and has some unrealistic scenes thrown in for pure drama, but that's what sells tickets. A glorified version of reality.
However, the training, leaving the wives, the battle scenes, the large number of wounded and dead all represent events that Moore and Galloway experienced and wrote about in their book. Moore's wife made significant changes in the way the army handled the notifications. She was very supportive of her husband and was honored for her work to improve base conditions. I've read a good bit about this and that's what inspires me. These were real people who made a difference even during a difficult and much criticized war. The drama back at the base is heart wrenching. My parents were at Fort Benning just 2 years before the Moores. My mother said the people were different, but it was just like going back in time. She was in tears throughout the whole movie.
There are light moments with humorous scenes. There are dark ones with quiet prayers. The cast is wonderful. Sam Elliott is always a good tough guy. Greg Kinnear, Madeline Stowe, Keri Russell, and the always great Barry Pepper were all particularly good. I'll never know for sure because I wasn't there, but when I watch this great film I feel like I've met the men and women who gave up so much for a thankless job. I pray for our soldiers every night. I'm proud of our troops all over the world. This movie grounds me and reminds me that my problems are relatively insignificant. Life could be so much worse and, when it is, it still goes on.