In the town of War Eagle, Arkansas, Enoch (Luke Grimes) is a shy high school pitcher with a stuttering problem. He lives with his mom (Mare Winningham) and grandfather Pop (Brian Dennehy). His only friend is smart-mouthed wheelchair-bound Wheels who suffers from Cerebral Palsy. Wheels constantly pushes Enoch to gain confidence while Enoch defends Wheels from bullies. Abby takes a liking to Enoch but he struggles to ask him out. Wheels is raised by his single mom Jessie (Mary Kay Place). I really like the friendship. The young actors are fine although I wish Luke Grimes looks better as a baseball player. They're assisted by some great veterans. The story isn't too intense. It's a sweet coming-of-age story.
3 Reviews
The War Eagle flies with grace and subtlety, if not slightly off the mark
TombRaider0923 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
A life in a small town is something of an oxymoron, as small towns tend to suffocate even the most admirable attempts to make it in the world. Unless you are watching Gilmore Girls, this is mostly the case in cinema, where anyone with any sense flees the small town life for a bigger adventure in an even bigger city. "War Eagle, Arkansas" is an exception, suggesting life in a small southern town may be just the kind of a place, in spite of its limitations, where a happy life awaits.
Luke Grimes, best known from his role on ABC's "Brothers & Sisters", gives a performance worth talking about. Grimes plays Enoch, a stuttering, shy and socially limited young man, whose only friend is Wheels, appropriately named since his medical condition has left him to live his life on a wheel-chair. The film's funniest lines are usually delivered by Wheels, who sees himself as quite the womanizer. Though Wheels may be physically handicapped and needs constant care, it is Enoch who is emotionally and socially handicapped, barely able to speak to anyone else without his stuttering getting out of control.
While Enoch shows aspirations to become a pitcher and receive a college scholarship, he is unsure whether the life of a star-pitcher is his dream. It certainly is his father's (Brian Dennehy), who has had enough of living the working class life with little money. Meanwhile, Enoch's infatuation with Abby (Misti Traya) causes friction in his friendship with Wheels, leaving him wonder if his place in the world is with his friend, or whether he should leave to pursue bigger dreams.
While the angle of the story is fresh, it never really gives enough reason to think Enoch should stay. Even when Enoch explains that most southerner's spend their first twenty years trying to get out and the next twenty to come back, the script cannot even convince itself that life in a small town is much of a treat. Tolerable, sure. Ideal? Only if one's ambitions don't reach that high. Then again, maybe that's the point.
Still, the excellent performance by Grimes works in the film's favor, as does the humor and the subtle drama between two best friends.
Luke Grimes, best known from his role on ABC's "Brothers & Sisters", gives a performance worth talking about. Grimes plays Enoch, a stuttering, shy and socially limited young man, whose only friend is Wheels, appropriately named since his medical condition has left him to live his life on a wheel-chair. The film's funniest lines are usually delivered by Wheels, who sees himself as quite the womanizer. Though Wheels may be physically handicapped and needs constant care, it is Enoch who is emotionally and socially handicapped, barely able to speak to anyone else without his stuttering getting out of control.
While Enoch shows aspirations to become a pitcher and receive a college scholarship, he is unsure whether the life of a star-pitcher is his dream. It certainly is his father's (Brian Dennehy), who has had enough of living the working class life with little money. Meanwhile, Enoch's infatuation with Abby (Misti Traya) causes friction in his friendship with Wheels, leaving him wonder if his place in the world is with his friend, or whether he should leave to pursue bigger dreams.
While the angle of the story is fresh, it never really gives enough reason to think Enoch should stay. Even when Enoch explains that most southerner's spend their first twenty years trying to get out and the next twenty to come back, the script cannot even convince itself that life in a small town is much of a treat. Tolerable, sure. Ideal? Only if one's ambitions don't reach that high. Then again, maybe that's the point.
Still, the excellent performance by Grimes works in the film's favor, as does the humor and the subtle drama between two best friends.
One of the Most Realistic Portrayals of the South
kuykendallsp6 November 2014
I absolutely love this movie!!!!!!!!!!! It is a perfect display of small town Arkansas life. Its also a touching coming of age story that could (and did) really happen. I cry every time I watch this movie. Happy tears. Anyone from Arkansas should see this movie just to prove that not everyone sees or portrays Arkansas as nothing but hillbillies and hicks. The F-bomb is dropped a couple of times but its not like they swear every other word. Its also not full of "a-list" actors, but they do a terrific job. It also shows how people need each other to overcome adversity. The two main characters are Wheels and Enoch. Wheels has CP but no mental deficiencies and Enoch is the star pitcher for the high school baseball team but has a stuttering problem. Enoch helps wheels with his physical needs and Wheels helps him with his social needs.
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