'The New War': 'The Messenger' and 'Brothers'

'The Messenger' (R) ***1/2

Writers: Alessandro Camon and Oren Moverman
Director: Oren Moverman
Starring: Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Steve Buscemi, Jenna Malone, Eamonn Walker

After the brunt of the Iraq War was leaving an impact with the numerous American troops being killed for what some say was an unjust war, critics said it was too early to make movies about the war. They might be right but I liked the first movie to be released "In The Valley of Elah" with Tommy Lee Jones. I think it is never too early if the movie is great. Now is definitely the time as evidenced by two powerful films that deal with the aftermath of the Iraq War. The first one is the beautiful, painful and quietly powerful movie "The Messenger" with two Oscar caliber performances. "The Messenger" is the story about two army men played by Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster whose job it is to inform immediate family that their son or daughter has been killed in the war. The film expertly conveys how hard it is to inform someone who you don't know that a family member has died. This is a devastating job just as hard as fighting in the war and it puts some emotional scars on these messengers.

The film deals with a few people who they break the news to and every individual responds differently sometimes with tears and sometimes with anger. They are well done scenes and hard to stomach and if the film just dealt with that it could become boring and monotonous. The movie wisely adds a subtle and beautiful love story and very powerful, funny or sad scenes between the two men. Ben Foster has recently been making a mark on screen especially with his psychotic bad guy in the great Western "3:10 To Yuma" and he is quiet and effective as the reserved one of the two. Along with George Clooney, Woody Harrelson seems to have the magic touch lately. Like Clooney he instantly makes you smile and sucks you into any character he does. They both have been picking some very smart movie choices. His screen presence is magical and he is the one actor I wouldn't mind having a beer with. He is profane, funny and powerful as the more outspoken soldier. Both men work well with each other and there is a great scene between the two as they sit down and each confront their hidden pain. There are two great scenes with the great Steve Buscemi one filled with anger and a later scene filled with forgiveness. There is also a nice tender love story with a widow played sweetly by Samantha Morton and Foster that is handled just right. This movie is very quietly powerful and moving and deals with the aftermath of war brilliantly and has some wonderfully written characters. I think it is time to deal with the pain.

'Brothers' (R) ***1/2
Writer: David Benioff based on the 2004 film "Brothers" directed by Susanne Bier
Director: Jim Sheridan
Starring: Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sam Shepard, Bailee Madison, Carey Mulligan

"Brothers" also deals with the aftermath of the Iraq War but deals more with the family side of things and the effects of the war on a soldier who comes home and can't deal with the pain. It is based on a Danish film I have not seen and it is directed by Jim Sheridan who is the great Irish director who made one of my favorite movies of the decade "In America". He is a great movie director who always knows how to tell a story with a light and powerful touch and he knows how to make strong movies about family. "Brothers" deals with a soldier played by Tobey Maguire in probably his best performance of his career who is married to Natalie Portman and has two young girls. He is sent back to the war at his request and leaves his family behind. He also has a brother played well by Jake Gyllenhaal who has just been released from prison. As Gyllenhaal gets out of prison Maguire goes back to Iraq and goes through very painful combat as he crashes and is held hostage with another soldier and the results are horrifying. He comes back as he finds that his brother has been helping look after his wife and his daughters and has remodeled her kitchen. The film sets a great tone as it deals with setting up this family including the feelings of the father played by Sam Shepard who is more proud of his soldier son.

When Maguire returns from his ordeal in the war he also has to deal with bringing that emotional pain back and with his loss of control as he tries to adapt back to home life. Tobey Maguire is outstanding in a difficult role where much of his acting has to deal with inner pain and anger boiling at the surface. The beautiful Natalie Portman is outstanding as the wife and she has become one of our best actresses. She is not only a luminous beauty on the screen but is also a smart actress who doesn't over do the emotion. Jake Gyllenhaal is also very good playing the screw up brother who has to change and deal with the pain that he couldn't see coming. This movie is not just a love triangle soap opera but a very powerful movie about the strength of family and the horror of coming back from the war. The performances are outstanding, the story is tastefully told and never becomes maudlin and the movie becomes more powerful than I expected. Jim Sheridan has dome a masterful job at making a powerful movie that could have been very melodramatic and phony but never takes a wrong step.