Movie home of the brave cast movie#

'I’ve worked with some pretty intense stuff-but 20- or 30- or 40-foot fires, that’s no joke,' says Kitsch.

Movie home of the brave cast movie#

Considering its inherent weaknesses, they, like unfortunate movie-goers who elect to see the film, have no chance.But Kitsch, along with the rest of the Only the Brave cast, got a quick education in the reality of life as a hotshot: everything from 'water drops,' in which massive tanks of water are dropped on a wildfire with enough pressure to destroy a house, to 'burnouts,' in which hotshots light controlled fires to interrupt a wildfire’s 'fuel supply' and limit the spread.Īnd then, of course, there was the process of shooting a movie in the midst of massive, actual fires. The sad thing to behold in Home of the Brave isn't the characters struggling to regain control of their lives, but the actors struggling to gain control of the material. Unfortunately, bad writing and heavy-handed direction have taken this movie in an unenviable direction. Certainly, the setup is in place for something remarkable. Had Home of the Brave presented credible stories about believable characters, it might have been a powerful drama. It's more difficult for some than others. His screen presence is undeniable.įor anyone who has been away from home for a time, especially those whose lives have been spent in a war zone, a return to 'normalcy' requires a period of adjustment. Curtis Jackson has less screen time, but arguably does the most consistent acting.

Brian Presley's performance is less variable but no more memorable. Jessica Biel, who is taking a stab at becoming a serious actress, has high points and low points, with her worst moments being those that require big displays of emotion. Jackson mixes understated, introspective scenes with over-the-top buffoonery. The performances are uneven, but maybe that's to be expected considering the quality of the writing. Not only don't real people talk the way these characters do, but the lines are so laughable that it's amazing the actors could say them without breaking into fits of uncontrolled giggles. Points are made with sledgehammer subtlety. After Iraq, however, the film isn't worth watching. Viewers can feel the tension and the promise of violence in every frame before chaos erupts, then Winkler takes us into the heart of the battle. They use quick camera pans and point-of-view shots to good effect. The opening scenes in Iraq are effectively presented. These people, who could function in Iraq, are unable to deal with the business of survival once they return to the real world. Will has turned to the bottle for solace and is working hard to erect a barrier between himself and his wife and children. Jamal has become angry and is on the edge of going postal. Tommy is surly and incommunicative his only meaningful conversations are with Jordan's mourning girlfriend (Christina Ricci in a cameo).

Vanessa ends a relationship with a long-term boyfriend and finds it nearly impossible to get by using a prosthetic hand. Spokane, weeks later: none of the survivors are coping. After registering a kill, Jordan falls under a hail of gunfire. Jamal accidentally kills an innocent woman. Marines Jamal Aiken (Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson), Tommy Yates (Brian Presley), and Jordan Owens (Chad Michael Murray) go in search of the ambushers. Jackson), who has stared down the barrel of a gun in his own operating theater. Vanessa Price (Jessica Biel) is injured by an IED. Before the departure day arrives, however, they are involved in an ambush and firefight that have lasting consequences for all of them. In modern-day Iraq, five soldiers have just learned they're going home in two weeks. However, as the saying goes, 'The road to hell is paved with good intentions.' Sitting through Home of the Brave isn't cinematic hell, but it's only a step up. There's no doubt that director Irwin Winkler and screenwriter Mark Friedman came to this project with the best of intentions. Not only is the bulk of Home of the Brave preachy and predictable, but it features some of the worst dialogue to be found in any non-horror film this year. Unfortunately, after the action shifts from the deserts of the Middle East to the relative calm of the home front (specifically, Spokane, Washington), it devolves into a morass of melodramatic clichés. Home of the Brave starts out with promise as it shows to good effect the chaos and uncertainty inherent in 'battling' in current-day Iraq.