Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster) has been excused from the throes of the battlefield after a non-lethal injury, but still needs to serve his time in the Army. He is assigned to the CNT (casualty notification team) working as Captain Tony Stone's (Woody Harrelson) partner. The stresses of the job and some personal decisions cause conflict and catharsis.
Death and
tragedy are an inevitable part of life. Even today natural disasters, including
the recent Fukushima earthquake account for great calamity and loss, but cannot
be comprehended at a truly emotional level as needless deaths become statistics.
The Messenger, although rigorous and
compliant in approach, avoids this birds-eye view entirely and focuses on two
former active army soldiers that have to come face-to-face with the grim
realities of war and of life itself. It is a personal and highly emotional methodology,
but all part of the JD (job description) for them.
As this
interpersonal approach is the focal point, The
Messenger does not skimp on revealing the broken, traumatized nature of
both men. Will in particular struggles with his injury and his decisions that
lead him to be so inactive and 'useless' while Tony craves the excitement of
combat and conflict having never really experienced it, but is initially introverted
and sticks to his regulations and processes; straight laced and stern in appearance.
Due to the
brooding nature of both men and the emotionally draining nature of the job they
have been assigned, the mood of The
Messenger maintains an effectively dour and stark perspective. The attitude
of 'no god and no heaven' is evident, particularly after both men witness emotional
outbursts and mourning; surely if a god existed he would not be this cruel? The
film contains some dark comedy elements that fit in well with the mostly
ultra-serious tone, as even in times of loss and tragedy comedy somehow can
find a way in.
The
authenticity of The Messenger cannot
be overstated. The research was thoroughly conducted and director Oren Moverman
spent a great deal of time with an actual notification team; their procedural
terms, acronyms, lingo and even slang translates well on the screen. This
dissemination of death and mourning carries with it a simple message, that for
every scenario; bereaved father, sister, and lover, you simply cannot train for
this level of emotional intensity. One example of this was Steve Buscemi's exemplary
cameo as a bereaved father, that took his frustration and grief directly out on
Will.
Both men
are complex ticking time bombs and serving as CNT officers only works to
shorten the fuse. It is clear that they both lead shell shocked lives and very
individual lives at that. In one scene Will is seen talking to another soldier
on the eve of his welcome back party. Although both men have a lot in common,
they are both very unwilling to talk about the war, and are essentially in
denial. Throughout the film both Will and Tony are desperate for companionship.
Will breaches some ethical and regulatory barriers and his longing and
desperation are put to the test when his sense of obligation leads to a
dysfunctional relationship with a widow Olivia Pitterson (Samantha Morton) that
unravels with interesting results. The scenes that Will and Olivia share are
infused with a complex contradiction of longing and guilt and the resolution is
refreshing and honest.
Woody Harrelson
and Ben Foster give amazing performances as Tony and Will. Here are two men
bereft of the human connection everyone else seems to have. They are kindred
souls; the by-products of war and they will never truly heal, shielded by the
various denials they cling to. They are both unhinged and other than the very
upset door knocking experiences they encounter, they have an Us vs. Them defiance
that leads to constant conflict. The notifications themselves lead to a string
of choices that bring them to confession and baptism which forces them to
reevaluate and face some hard truths. This conclusion is raw, honest,
terrifying and satisfying as the veil of denial is lifted.
DVD Features:
- Commentary with director/co-writer and actors
- Documentary about the CNT
- Feature about reflections from the set
- Q&A with the cast and crew
- Theatrical trailer
- K, out.