The Messenger

Director: Oren Moverman Oren Moverman

Overview

An Iraq War veteran who just narrowly escaped death in combat struggles with his new post at the Casualty Notification Office while anticipating his upcoming discharge in this military drama starring Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Jena Malone, and Samantha Morton. Will Montgomery (Foster) has spent his fair share of time in army hospitals, and with just three months to go before returning to civilian life, he discovers that his girlfriend back home (Malone) has decided to move on with her life. Crestfallen, Will discovers that his latest hope for a fresh start will be training to work for the Casualty Notification Office under the mentorship of senior officer Tony (Harrelson). As someone who had a close brush with death himself, Will isn't sure that he's the man to tell families that their own loved ones will never be coming home. Thankfully, in between his assignments, Tony offers a sympathetic ear and the two men form a bond that will ultimately help them to readjust to "normal" life. But once you've been in the thick of it, any true hope for a "normal" life after the military is just wishful thinking. Later, Will is drawn to the grieving widow (Morton) of a fallen soldier, a development that forces him to ponder the ethical dilemma of starting a relationship with a woman in such a vulnerable position.

Product Details

Release Date:	05/18/2010
UPC:	0896602002180
Original Release:	2009
Rating:	R
Source:	Oscilloscope
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:52:00
Sales rank:	54,218

Special Features

Notification: a documentary about us army casualty notification officers and the families of fallen soldiers by Joe Kelly and John Vernon; Audio commentary with Oren Moverman, Lawrence Inglee, Ben Foster, and Woody Harrelson; Going home: reflections from the set; Variety screening series Q&A with Oren Moverman, Woody Harrelson, Alessandro Camon, Lawrence Inglee, Ben Foster, and Bobby Bukowski; The Messenger shooting script

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Ben Foster	Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery
Woody Harrelson	Captain Tony Stone
Samantha Morton	Olivia Pitterson
Jena Malone	Kelly
Eamonn Walker	Colonel Stuart Dorsett
Steve Buscemi	Dale Martin
Yaya DaCosta	Monica Washington
Portia	Mrs. Burrell
Lisa Joyce	Emily
Paul Diomede	Motorcycle Cop
Peter Francis James	Dr. Grosso
Nathan Larson	Composer

Technical Credits

Oren Moverman

Alessandro Camon

Oren Moverman	Director,Screenwriter
Alessandro Camon	Screenwriter
Lawrence Inglee	Producer
Zach Miller	Producer
Mark Gordon	Producer
Bryan Zuriff	Executive Producer
Shaun Redick	Executive Producer
Ben Goldhirsh	Executive Producer
Matthew Street	Executive Producer
David Whealy	Executive Producer
Christopher Mapp	Executive Producer
Laura Rosenthal	Casting
Ali Farrell	Casting

Editorial Reviews

With The Messenger, first-time director Oren Moverman has crafted a film that goes beyond the narrative of the traditional war movie. Rather than focusing on fighting or even the politics of the fiercely debated war in Iraq, this script centers on grief, recovery, and relationships. Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma) gives a raw, real performance as Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery, a soldier who was injured in Iraq. With a few months left in his tour of duty, Will is assigned to work under Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson, No Country for Old Men). Stone is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm and a member of the army's Casualty Notification division. Together, the men have the difficult mission of telling people of their loved ones' deaths, a job fraught with tension and tears. Each notification brings new challenges to the newcomer and his more experienced superior, but Will also struggles with his own adjustments to life after combat. He forges a connection with a recently widowed woman, Olivia (Samantha Morton, In America), and his friendship with Tony also serves as an anchor in his new life. Moverman's previous work as a screenwriter has ranged from the audacious (I'm Not There) to the average (Married Life), but this script -- a collaboration with producer Alessandro Camon -- never feels anything less than authentic. Each new notification brings an opportunity for tears, both onscreen and in the audience, but it is always moving and never manipulative. The writers deserve plenty of praise, but lesser actors could have marred the script's strength. Foster has proven his chameleon-like abilities in past works, from Alpha Dog to Six Feet Under, but The Messenger allows him to reveal even more emotion without ever being showy. Harrelson has impressive moments of intensity, but his character's wry humor gives a respite from the tragedies that make up Tony's and Will's lives. As next of kin notified by the men, Morton and Steve Buscemi are heartbreaking to watch. The film has a naturalistic feel, hearkening back to the war films of the 1970s, such as the Oscar winner Coming Home, but it never comments on the validity of the war itself. Though The Messenger boasts approval from the army and input from individual soldiers, it somehow manages to remain surprisingly neutral in its stance on war. It's more about people than politics, and the fine script makes it an intensely personal viewing experience.