DVD Review: The Messenger

Where the hell was Ben Foster's Oscar nomination?

I think that's a logical question to ask after viewing this film. How was he NOT nominated? Lead Actor wasn't that tight of a race last year.

The Messenger follows Staff Sergeant Montgomery (Foster) has he nears the end of his enlistment. He's a war hero, still suffering from the effects and he's assigned to the duty of notifying the Next of Kin when soldiers go missing or die. It's a tough job, and Captain Stone (Woody Harrelson) is showing him the ropes. The duties are simple, don't touch them, don't comfort them, tell them what they need to be told, then leave. Montgomery ends up getting too close to Olivia (Samantha Morton) a recently widowed woman that takes the news of her husband's death far better then the other characters we see in the film.

One thing that really stuck out to me in this film was the angry rock music that Montgomery always had playing. It fit with his personality so well and I appreciated how well it was incorporated into the film. Foster (like I said before) gives a fantastic performance, he's always been a very talented actor. Albeit a very underrated one. (Check him out in Alpha Dog) Harrelson also gives a great performance and very much deserved his Oscar nom. The tone of the film is dark, but it's the reality we live in. These Soldiers have a very hard job of notifying the NOK and we just get a glimpse of what their every day life entails. While there's a bit of humor sprinkled in here and there, it sends a powerful message.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: A

Memorable Quote: "Yankee Doodle went to town riding on a pony..sorry, you're husband is dead." - Captain Stone (Woody Harrelson)