Last Flag Flying (2017) Review!!!!

Synopsis – Thirty years after they served together in Vietnam, a former Navy Corpsman Larry “Doc” Shepherd re-unites with his old buddies, former Marines Sal Nealon and Reverend Richard Mueller, to bury his son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War.

My Take – I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect coming into this one, especially given the lack of the marketing surrounding the film, however considering that it starred three high caliber actors and was directed by Richard Linklater, arguably one of the best living filmmakers of our time, it seemed worthy of at least a single trip. Here, after Everybody Wants Some!!, his delightful spiritual successor to his breakthrough cult classic Dazed and Confused, director Linklater offers another loosely-defined sequel here, only this time to director Hal Ashby‘s 1973 Jack Nicholson-fueled classic The Last Detail. When one looks at the total body of work of writer/director/producer Richard Linklater, it would appear that this is a guy who relishes on throwing the film going public constant curve balls and his diversity in storytelling is one that makes sure that can challenge both himself and the audience. Here, the film doesn’t play like a true sequel, but the reuniting of three men who served together in Vietnam does hammer home a couple of interesting statements while also delivering the type of dramedy that a current audiences tend to connect with. While his latest is nowhere near his best work, it might just be his most impressive feat, simply in terms of taking a concept that shouldn’t work at all and somehow pulls it off. Set near the end of 2003, the story follows Larry “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carell), a former Navy medic, who has had the type of year that no one deserves. He has just been notified that his Marine son was killed in action while on duty in the war in Iraq, and this comes only a few months after he lost his beloved wife to breast cancer.

With too much for him to handle on his own, Doc seeks out his former army friends, Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston), a bar owner, and Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne), who is now a reverend in a small church, to accompany him to claim his son’s body at Arlington National Cemetery. With an unspoken history between the men, the reunion and journey is continually filled with tension. When by-the- book Colonel Wilits (Yul Vazquez) tries to stand in the way of the guy’s mission, especially after truths are told, comrade in arms and best friend to the deceased Washington (J. Quinton Johnson) join the men as they prove once again, friendships built in tough times are the strongest when times are tough. What follows is a mixture between a road movie, a buddy-comedy, an introspective drama on aging and masculinity, and sociopolitical commentary that offers uproar of laughs and tears alike whilst also maintaining the director’s signature naturalistic tone. The film is certainly an unusual blend of comedy, tragic drama, and contemporary political commentary. His unique/natural writing always leaps off the screen and his directing isn’t too shabby either, but I feel the true star of this film is the story itself. It really makes you take a step back and appreciate what you had in the past because the future isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Even through dark times, there’s always light to brighten up certain situations. But there’s so much going on under the surface for each character that I just couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. It never hurts when you have a director that knows exactly how to work with actors and ends up getting lucky with some of the most talented actors in these roles. Director Linklater‘s films have always been about the characters first and foremost. If you don’t buy into any of the characters, then it’s highly unlikely that you’ll end up enjoying the movie. I found myself invested in each and every scene, being moved along by the terrifically written dialogue from start to finish. The conversations between characters feel so natural and that all comes back (once again) to writer/director Richard Linklater. This is a film where the character interactions so effortlessly steal the show that it can still be enjoyable even with some pretty simplistic plot structures moving it along. One scene, where the guys just sit around on a train and talk about their past Marines experiences, might be the best of the whole show. That’s quite a feat! The final act of this film left me in tears, due to the fact that I had no clue that any of these characters were in the beginning, and found myself attached to whatever they were going to say next by the end. It is difficult to imagine a Linklater film that isn’t some radical temporal experiment or structure-less existential rumination and that is by no means a bad thing. Director Richard Linklater‘s films have always struck a chord with an audience that was less Hollywood and more speculative, his stories progressing and themes being expressed not through plot but rather through ensemble conversations, the subjects of which vary so wildly that massive spreadsheets exist merely in an attempt to retain all the information.

Against the cold, the film hangs mellow with its three main characters, pondering what meaning might be found in the apparent flimflam of patriotism and war. It’s all in keeping with director Linklater perspective on life: the running conversation that we pick up with different people or with years in between. One question leads to another, and the trip gets extended. Despite the serious subject matter, this filmis absolutely hilarious. Granted, it’s impossible to laugh at a soldier’s coffin strapped to a truck the way we did the dead aunt in the station wagon in 1983’s National Lampoon’s Vacation or the dead uncle in the family van in 2006’s Little Miss Sunshine. The connotations are vastly different. Still, director Linklater pulls it off — like only he can — picking his moments for comedy within the tragedy. The film doesn’t just give comedy however; it also tackles a great amount of issues that a lesser film would not have pulled off. This film explores the purpose of life, a subject that director Linklater is very good at tackling. While the comedy excels at the hands of its actors, it’s the political commentary also takes an interesting stance; reflecting primarily left-wing ideologies but also displaying a great amount of respect for the troops. The portrait that director Linklater paints is that of war veterans who, while in their younger years jumped at the chance to fight and die for their country, feel radically betrayed by the lies of their government and their purpose (or lack thereof) overseas. The film displays how while soldiers remain such a vital aspect of American identity, it is the soldiers themselves who feel alienated; for how can one trust his government when it has the power to order you to die?. Unfortunately, here the contrivances are too many and too frequent to allow the film and characters to breathe and achieve the greatness of a true message movie. It teases us with flashes us brilliance and then pokes us in the ribs with another goofy sidebar as if to say “just kidding”. It seems this would have been better served as an intimate portrayal of these three aging men who were willing to die for their country than as a giant political anti-war statement and an accusation of how evil the government is. As a fan, it’s hard to agree, but it’s true that director Linklater, for all his gifts in directing ruminative, digressive gab, isn’t exactly the king of dramatic structure. There are clumsy, didactic, and sentimental moments scattered through the film; at 124 minutes, it’s too long and episodic for its own good. There is also a manufactured conflict in the film. It feels like the writers stuck it in just so there was a conflict of some sort, but it easily could have been taken out and the film would not have changed. However, the film is worth seeing for the performances alone. Like seriously, how often do we get to watch three of this generation’s most skilled and beloved actors work together and churn out some of them of their most charming performances. You would think going in that Steve Carell would be the comedian here, but instead he is the dramatic anchor. Carell gives a surprisingly emotional performance, keeping the comedy to a minimum. Here, he doesn’t say much but that’s the key: he’s never not listening, even when he is a little lost in grief, Carell‘s Larry Shepherd is the sad, emotional aspect of the story and he really brings in one of his best performances and makes the audience feel every burning pain as he goes through the proceeding to bury his fallen son. Bryan Cranston displays a phenomenal range, as he brilliantly captures his energy, vulgarity and humor without it ever feeling forced. Laurence Fishburne too adds a great amount of depth and even more comedy when the two finally begin to get along. J. Quinton Johnson also holds his own well. On the whole, ‘Last Flag Flying‘ is an immensely enjoyable feature that offers laughs, drama and effective sociopolitical commentary.