Today’s post has nothing to do with raising Lucas, but it has everything to do with family. My sister and I saw the movie Brothers the other night and it was amazing.
A remake of the 2004 Swedish film, Bröder, the trio of Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire and Natalie Portman was a draw for me and from an acting standpoint, they did not disappoint. The script gives Macguire the most to work with as the family man/Marine, Capt. Sam Cahill, whose latest trip to Afghanistan sees him imprisoned by the Taliban and ultimately returned to America with some serious psychological issues. While he is MIA, his wife, Grace, (Portman) and ex-con brother, Tommy, (Gyllenhaal) are told he is dead, and the two grow closer, eventually verging on emotional and physical attachment.
Watching these three individuals go through their personal journeys is heartbreaking and beautiful, especially that of Cahill. I wasn’t expecting to be so emotionally attached or moved by this film. It was very thought provoking for me and made me realize that war affects more than just the solider, it takes its toll on the entire family and all of those left behind. In many ways, I think it’s harder for those left waiting at home for the safe return of their loved one.
I highly recommend this movie hope Tobey Maguire wins the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) for his stunning performance.
I am thankful that I don’t know anyone involved in the war in any way, but I know that I am in the minority. I am ashamed to admit that I’m not even sure why we are fighting. I know that it is mainly in response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US, but I believe that the conflict is much deeper and older than that.
It blows my mind that we are in year nine of the war in Afghanistan and currently have 70,000 U.S. military personnel stationed there. Now, that’s something to think about! Or what about the sobering fact that as of today, December 19, 2009 we have lost 5,288 soldiers. 4,356 in Operation Iraqi Freedom and 932 in Operation Enduring Freedom. That’s 5,288 souls too many.
The best is yet to be. May peace on earth be near.
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What a great blog today Tonya. I could tell that this movie had a big impact on you.
We talked about this for a little bit but do you think it would have been better in Sam did actually die and never came home at all? You could really see the family healing and trying to move on. Plus his apparent death was causing his brother to step it up and be a man.
I liked that Natalie Portman's character did eventually read that letter from Sam after the cops came and took him away. She needed to hear from her Sam, the Sam that she knew before he went to Afghanistan.
I am glad that I do not know anyone who has gone to war either. I guess we are lucky in that way. While it may be an amazingly courageous and patriotic thing to do, the consequences of this major decision can be awful.