"No man left behind" is the message of the extremely moving film - Sgt. Will Gardner. Actor Max Martini plays the role of an Iraq War veteran, Will, who comes back home from the war a devastated man suffering from TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder). Though Will made it back alive, unlike his best friend and fellow soldier Samuel, he is still fighting several demons in his head. He is aptly nicked-named "Ghost" by the way. There are also other references to ghosts.
Sgt. Will Gardner tells the now very familiar tale of several thousands of U.S. war veterans, many of whom are homeless and have lost their way in life struggling to adjust to normal civilian life after going through hell in the front-lines. While the movie's message is admirable, it meanders along for close to 2 hours before ending right where it started, after giving hope to the viewers that Will had finally put his demons to rest and given a new purpose in life. If we are not bored to tears by the many mundane scenes in this movie, we are left scratching our heads with the abrupt and unreal ending.
Some of the best scenes in the movie are when Will goes to reconcile with his 11 year son, who he left behind to fight in Iraq. In order to do that, he steals his boss's motorbike and rides cross-country to Florida. No explanation is given on how he survives without any money during his trip. What's more is that he meets a slightly unstable woman who mistakes him for Bryan Cranston and even has sex with him in her car. Lily Rabe plays Mary-Ann Mackey who has had enough of her numb boring life, quits her job on a whim and drives to Disneyland. Her delusional belief that Will is a celebrity, though he bears absolutely no resemblance to Bryan Cranston, provides a lot of humor which eventually devolves into pity.
Going back to Will and his bike, in fact the only time Will feels anchored and moves with purpose is when he's on that bike. When the bike gets taken away from him, he reverts back to the drifter that he was before he got possession of it. This is the main inconsistency of the movie, which proves to be its undoing. The viewer is left wondering why the bike is so important. It is just a means to go around, and does not come for free. Why was Will suddenly reduced to begging on the streets the moment he lost the bike? How was he even living, eating and filling gas for the bike?
Martini who plays Sgt. Will also wrote and directed this film. He should have finished it on the high inspiring note he reached just 5 minutes before the ending. Instead he ruined it by trying to create even more sympathy for war vets, and in process creating a totally fabricated ending which made no sense whatsoever.
I also wish the female characters in the movie were given a more solid role. Both of the prominent female characters come across as goofy and weak-willed. The film also features subtle cameos by Gary Sinese as a sympathetic bartender and Dermot Mulroney who plays the insecure husband of Will's ex-wife.
Overall, a good movie with a strong message. But it could have and should have been tightened a lot more. I give it 6 stars out of 10.
Sgt. Will Gardner tells the now very familiar tale of several thousands of U.S. war veterans, many of whom are homeless and have lost their way in life struggling to adjust to normal civilian life after going through hell in the front-lines. While the movie's message is admirable, it meanders along for close to 2 hours before ending right where it started, after giving hope to the viewers that Will had finally put his demons to rest and given a new purpose in life. If we are not bored to tears by the many mundane scenes in this movie, we are left scratching our heads with the abrupt and unreal ending.
Some of the best scenes in the movie are when Will goes to reconcile with his 11 year son, who he left behind to fight in Iraq. In order to do that, he steals his boss's motorbike and rides cross-country to Florida. No explanation is given on how he survives without any money during his trip. What's more is that he meets a slightly unstable woman who mistakes him for Bryan Cranston and even has sex with him in her car. Lily Rabe plays Mary-Ann Mackey who has had enough of her numb boring life, quits her job on a whim and drives to Disneyland. Her delusional belief that Will is a celebrity, though he bears absolutely no resemblance to Bryan Cranston, provides a lot of humor which eventually devolves into pity.
Going back to Will and his bike, in fact the only time Will feels anchored and moves with purpose is when he's on that bike. When the bike gets taken away from him, he reverts back to the drifter that he was before he got possession of it. This is the main inconsistency of the movie, which proves to be its undoing. The viewer is left wondering why the bike is so important. It is just a means to go around, and does not come for free. Why was Will suddenly reduced to begging on the streets the moment he lost the bike? How was he even living, eating and filling gas for the bike?
Martini who plays Sgt. Will also wrote and directed this film. He should have finished it on the high inspiring note he reached just 5 minutes before the ending. Instead he ruined it by trying to create even more sympathy for war vets, and in process creating a totally fabricated ending which made no sense whatsoever.
I also wish the female characters in the movie were given a more solid role. Both of the prominent female characters come across as goofy and weak-willed. The film also features subtle cameos by Gary Sinese as a sympathetic bartender and Dermot Mulroney who plays the insecure husband of Will's ex-wife.
Overall, a good movie with a strong message. But it could have and should have been tightened a lot more. I give it 6 stars out of 10.