113 min | Germany:105 min (Berlin International Film Festival)
Genres:
Drama | Romance | War
IMDB rate:
7.2
Director:
Oren Moverman
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 21 wins & 34 nominations
Details
Country: USA
Release Date: 2010-02-19
Filming Locations: Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
Earnings
Budget: $6,500,000
Opening Weekend: $44,523 (USA) (15 November 2009)
Gross: $1,108,684 (USA) (9 May 2010)
Cast
Actor
Character
Ben Foster
Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery
Jena Malone
Kelly
Eamonn Walker
Colonel Stuart Dorsett
Woody Harrelson
Captain Tony Stone
Yaya DaCosta
Monica Washington
Portia
Mrs. Burrell
Lisa Joyce
Emily
Steve Buscemi
Dale Martin
Peter Francis James
Dr. Grosso
Samantha Morton
Olivia Pitterson
Paul Diomede
Motorcycle Cop
Jahmir Duran-Abreau
Matt Pitterson
Gaius Charles
Recruiter Brown
Brendan Sexton III
Recruiter Olson
Brian Adam DeJesus
Teenager #1 (as Brian DeJesus)
T.J. Allen
Teenager #2
Halley Feiffer
Marla Cohen
Peter Friedman
Mr. Cohen
Jeremy Strong
Returning Soldier
Fiona Dourif
Returning Soldier's Wife
Lindsay Michelle Nader
Claire
Merritt Wever
Lara
Carl Anthony Payne II
Pitterson's Father (as Carl Payne)
Francis A. Adams
Firing Party Team Leader
J. Salome Martinez
Captain Garcia
Angel Caban
Mr. Vasquez
Kevin Hagan
Mr. Flanigan
Marceline Hugot
Mrs. Flanigan
Michael Chernus
Alan
Stevie Ray Dallimore
Kelly's Father
Dale Soules
Cashier
Steve Antonucci
Soldier (uncredited)
Sara Jane Blazo
Kelly's Mom (uncredited)
Robert Feeley
Vietnam Veteran
Donna Ross
Soldiers Friend
Karen Summerton
Flirty Girl (uncredited)
Francine Bianco Tax
Reception Pianist (uncredited)
Did you know?
Trivia
At various stages in development, Sydney Pollack, Roger Michel and Ben Affleck were all attached to direct. Writer Oren Moverman was finally asked to helm the project after all these fell through.
The soldiers in the film wear a unit patch with a large "22" on it. This is a fictional unit. The actual 22nd Infantry Division was a "Phantom Division" that never actually existed. It was created in World War II to fool German intelligence. The patch created is different from the one in the film, though.
The last shot filmed was after Will finds out that Kelly's getting married and is on the floor, desperately trying to sleep, and puts the blanket over his head.
SSG Montgomery should have at least two service stripes on his left sleeve, in addition to the missing Overseas Service Bars. Each service stripe denotes 3 years of service and he'd likely have at least 2 of them.
Several times throughout the movie, Captain Stone notifies next of kin of deceased soldiers without first getting positive confirmation that they are, in fact, the soldier's next of kin. Casualty Notification Officers are required to make sure that the person they are addressing is actually the next of kin before making notification. This is not a mistake that a professional like Captain Stone would make.
Captain Tony Stone: One more thing. You do not touch the Next-of-Kin. Avoid physical contact, unless it's a medical emergency, like they're having a heart attack or something. You're representing the Secretary of the Army, not Will Montgomery, so in case you feel like offering a hug or something... don't.