Any fans of Moonlighting who want to see Bruce Willis in his first drama will want to rent In Country, a movie that delves into America's post-war view of Vietnam. Bruce stars as a damaged veteran with a detached life view, whose brother died in the war. His niece, Emily Lloyd, has questions about her father and the war that no one around her will answer, and she feels without that knowledge she won't truly know herself.
So much of this movie shines, from the sensitive script to the flow of the scenes to the acting. Emily is an absolutely adorable lead, and if her accent and curly hair doesn't charm you, her innocence and good intentions certainly will. She's struggling to get to know herself, while torn between her steady, uninteresting beau and the older, mysterious veteran John Terry. In my favorite scene, Emily and John share an intimate evening with unexpected results. His pain and her sweetness are palpable, and it's incredibly moving. There's another section of the film about the preparation and execution of a salute to Vietnam veterans dance in the small town. While some people do show up, the host looks as it as a disappointment since the majority of the attendance was made by veterans and not civilians. He believes no one really cares what went on in the war, a theme repeated throughout the film.
This movie is pretty heavy, especially if you know someone who fought in the war. This isn't a schmaltzy, slice-of-life Southern flick, so be prepared to reach for a Kleenex. It's very good, though, so if you do rent it, you'll be treated to a high-quality semi-modern classic.
So much of this movie shines, from the sensitive script to the flow of the scenes to the acting. Emily is an absolutely adorable lead, and if her accent and curly hair doesn't charm you, her innocence and good intentions certainly will. She's struggling to get to know herself, while torn between her steady, uninteresting beau and the older, mysterious veteran John Terry. In my favorite scene, Emily and John share an intimate evening with unexpected results. His pain and her sweetness are palpable, and it's incredibly moving. There's another section of the film about the preparation and execution of a salute to Vietnam veterans dance in the small town. While some people do show up, the host looks as it as a disappointment since the majority of the attendance was made by veterans and not civilians. He believes no one really cares what went on in the war, a theme repeated throughout the film.
This movie is pretty heavy, especially if you know someone who fought in the war. This isn't a schmaltzy, slice-of-life Southern flick, so be prepared to reach for a Kleenex. It's very good, though, so if you do rent it, you'll be treated to a high-quality semi-modern classic.