a beautiful and affecting movie
Added 8/30/2007
If you can watch this movie and not learn something about the nature of human attachment or how we grieve, you have lost something precious that every feeling person should possess. Even if a few of the characters seem unlikely or contrived, this is a beautiful and affecting movie.
This movie can be a useful tool for anyone who is struggling with the after effects of trauma. That would include those who have been traumatized through physical/sexual assault, child abuse or through war. Because of the potential emotional impact of this movie on these groups, anyone in counseling should consider consulting with their counselor prior to viewing.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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For those who wrote reviews claiming none of what happened in this film is truth I have one thing to say. Their heads are deeply buried in sand. I personally know many young men who returned from this war not only bearing terrible physically injuries, but horrible mental ones. I suspect these same people who think this way deny anything is happening in Irag and that for those that have died a multituted are retuning home mutilated and mentally beyond hope. The saying is all to true "When we do not learn from our past mistakes we are bound to repeat them." WAKE UP!
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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If some of the *reviewers* in here actually *reviewed* the movie and not Danny Glover's political beliefs (ever hear of that thing called the 1st Amendment while you're being politically high and mighty?), they might have seen a good movie. Danny Glover gives an OUTSTANDING performance in this movie and Zoe Weizenbaum gives one of the best child performances I have ever seen. Linda Hamilton is cast against type and pulls it off. The movie is extremely moving. God forbid Danny Glover should express an opinion. I guess all of his movies are trash now.
7 out of 11 people found this helpful.
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A based-on based-on movie
Added 11/27/2006
This movie is an example of what happens when you depend on the entertainment industry for your history lessons. The person that wrote this script picked up every stereotype and myth about Viet Nam and Viet Nam veterans and wove it into the story.
I guess you have to keep in mind that even when this industry tries to do factual stories they resort to the phrase 'based on' to excuse their careless handling of facts - in this case they have a 'based-on' 'based-on' movie.
I'm amazed that any actor, actress, or director could have read this script and agreed to perform such trash.
The idea that the woods are full of poor, crazed Viet Nam veterans - suffering from the trauma of killing children in Viet Nam is just silly.
It's a fact (check the 2000 census) that while 10% of the population live below the poverty line - only 5% of veterans do.
2 out of 9 people found this helpful.
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Beautiful film, adult themes
Added 10/26/2006
****
This is a special film that I would recommend for adults. It is about the difficult recovery of the Vietnam veteran community in a rural area of the Pacific Northwest. They live isolated and impoverished lives, trapped in the past. When one of them, played by Danny Glover, takes care of a friend's young daughter, everything changes, and not only does Danny Glover's character begin to learn to love again, but the entire community comes closer.
I would not recommend this film for children, because I think that the adult themes of war recovery, war trauma, and intense grief would be too much for them; probably over 18 would be best for this film. It is not depressing, as you might think reading the synopsis, but is an inspirational film about interdependency, love, and forgiveness. It is not a "happy" film either, though. I would best call it a deep, poignant, and intense film that is an excellent use of the viewer's time. It would be good for an evening when you want to be moved and drawn into something to forget about your own problems or to help you deal with your own grief.
The acting is remarkable, the scenery lovely, and the young actress---Zoe Weizenbaum---who plays the friend's daughter---is perfect for her role. Danny Glover is marvelous, as is Linda Hamilton. An unlikely grouping of actors in a gem of a movie. You won't regret watching it.
****
9 out of 10 people found this helpful.
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