Considered very important in its day, this film attempts to explore the impact of the Vietnam War on those who received wounds while fighting it, and on the wives left at home. It is relatively insightful and it does raise some interesting ideas about why people justify going to war, but the storyline itself is highly formulaic and it is too easy to see where it is heading. The film is also hurt by an overbearing song soundtrack. Almost all the time songs can be heard, playing softly as the characters talk and interact. There appears to be very little thematic motivation behind what is played and when it is played, but above all, it drowns out the on-screen action. The film is a bit on the maudlin side, and one might even say that it is "preachy" towards the end too, but it is nevertheless a good film. The quality of the acting saves the project, with a strong Jon Voight as a partially paralysed, angry Vietnam vet, and some good scenes with Bruce Dern in the final half hour. It was a big film when first released, and probably meant a lot because of its subject matter, leading to lots of awards and acclaim. It does not seem nearly as good nowadays, but it is nevertheless worth checking out, not only for the acting, but also for a capsule of post-Vietnam attitudes in the late 1970s.
Review of Coming Home
