The Good Soldier (2009)
-
73% of critics liked it
(15 reviews) -
75% of users liked it
(126 ratings)
From the opening footage spanning decades of combat action, it is apparent no audience will be spared the pain experienced by the subjects of Lexy Lovell and Michael Uys's documentary: this disturbing, deeply affecting look at war through the eyes of American veterans provides extraordinary… More From the opening footage spanning decades of combat action, it is apparent no audience will be spared the pain experienced by the subjects of Lexy Lovell and Michael Uys's documentary: this disturbing, deeply affecting look at war through the eyes of American veterans provides extraordinary perspective for civilian viewers. Five men who fought variously in World War II, Vietnam, and the Middle East talk about combat in a down-to-earth, matter-of-fact way that gives horrifying new meaning to the term "brutal realities." These are not masters of atrocity - they are good men who went to war to serve their country. There, they were taught to kill - it was their job; only later, sometimes much later, did it come back to haunt them, filling them with anger and regret. Which is not to say the veterans speak with one voice; from the tightly uniformed, professional soldier to the Marine who does penance by carrying a sign in public confessing to acts of murder in Iraq, their outlooks and coping methods vary. But each man brings his own authentic insight to the story, helping to create a tableau that is as hard to turn away from as it is to watch. Surprisingly free of self-pity and blame, they soldier on in the path of awareness - just as the film itself eschews melodrama as a matter of respect for the searing honesty of its subjects.
- Directed By
- Lexy Lovell, Michael Uys
- Written By
- Lexy Lovell, Michael Uys
- Genres
- Documentary, Drama, Television, Special Interest
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Oct 9, 2009 Wide
- Studio
- Artistic License
Critic Reviews
-
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
Has important things to say. Sadly, it does so in an unexciting manner.
-
Neil Genzlinger, New York Times
A film whose benign-sounding title and Veterans Day release give a false impression of what it actually is: an attack on the military, drenched in blood.
-
Ronnie Scheib, Variety
Avoids preaching to the choir, though perhaps only the choir will attend.
-
Nicolas Rapold, Time Out New York
An explicitly antiwar conclusion unwisely makes the grim focus feel like a bias, but the power of the interviews makes one wish for more stories, not fewer.
-
Aaron Hillis, Village Voice
Potent and wisely straightforward.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
No Featured Audience Ratings Found…
Currently unavailable on Flixster
Also available on
Other Retailers
Not Available
Subscription Services
Not Available
Not Available
