Movie #199........................."Stop-Loss"

Movie #199 "Stop-Loss" is another important film on the Iraq War to watch, this time concerning our Stop-Loss program. Directed by a female, her goal (according to the special features, which are intriguing to watch, as well) is to show the results of this particular war directly from the soldier's point of view. She went through thousands of the hand-held videos (well edited, she might ad) that soldiers have been taking. She follows 4 guys into a tragic bit of circumstances where they lose 3 of their friends and one is burned badly and loses and arm and a leg, back to a parade in their honor , and back to living with the consequences. EAch one reacts differently. When Ryan Philippe (the Sarge) gets a notification of Stop-Loss (reconscription back in) after two stints there, he reacts with, "Hell, no!" and thus his journey begins. It's a journey for the viewer, too, if you are unaware this program has been going on, and what happens to the guys who don't want to "Stop-Loss." It's an eye opener and one I highly recommend. Well done all around. This film has a lot to say on the Iraqi War.





Average rating: 3.384
I'd give it 4 stars
Stop-Loss
(2008) R
After a tour in Iraq, decorated hero Sgt. Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe) returns home to his small Texas town and tries to readjust to civilian life. But when he's called up again as part of the military's controversial stop-loss program, he decides to go AWOL. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Channing Tatum play Brandon's war buddies, and Timothy Olyphant is his stern commanding officer in this poignant antiwar drama from director Kimberly Peirce.