Jarhead (2005)

Director:

Sam Mendes

Writers (WGA):

William Broyles Jr. (screenplay)
Anthony Swofford (book)

Release Date:

4 November 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | War

Tagline:

Every man fights his own war.

Plot:

Based on former Marine Anthony Swofford's best-selling 2003 book about his pre-Desert Storm experiences in Saudi Arabia and about his experiences fighting in Kuwait.

Plot Keywords:

Marine | Sniper | Boot Camp | Gulf War | 1980s

Awards:

1 win & 9 nominations

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Anthony Swofford
Scott MacDonald	...	D.I. Fitch
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Alan Troy
Jamie Foxx	...	Staff Sgt. Sykes
Lo Ming	...	Bored Gunny (as Ming Lo)
Lucas Black	...	Chris Kruger
Kevin Foster	...	Branded Marine
Brian Geraghty	...	Fergus O'Donnell
Damion Poitier	...	Poitier
Riad Galayini	...	Nurse
Craig Coyne	...	Young Mr. Swofford
Katherine Randolph	...	Young Mrs. Swofford
Rini Bell	...	Swoff's Sister
Dendrie Taylor	...	Mrs. Swofford
James Morrison	...	Mr. Swofford

Also Known As:

Jarhead - Willkommen im Dreck (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive language, some violent images and strong sexual content.

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English | Spanish | Arabic | Latin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:14A (Manitoba) | UK:15 | Finland:K-15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Ireland:16 | Germany:12 | Australia:MA | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Czech Republic:12 | Brazil:16 | France:U | Portugal:M/16 | Sweden:11 | Mexico:C | Hong Kong:III | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16 | Iceland:16 | Singapore:M18 (cut) | Malaysia:18PL (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (edited version) | Netherlands:12 | Philippines:R-18 (MTRCB) | USA:R (certificate #42072) | Norway:15 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Japan:R-15

Filming Locations:

Brawley, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

According to Iván Fenyö, almost 70% of his performance was cut out. Two months before the release of the movie the director phoned Ivan and told him that the studio didn't wanted most of the lines he had in the movie. According to the actor, some of his parts was about his notices as an East-European about democracy and the Gulf War.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: After Troy is branded, Swofford leans in and tells him, "You earned it, man!" This does not match up to his lip movement.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Anthony 'Swoff' Swofford: A story: A man fires a rifle for many years, and he goes to war. And afterward he turns the rifle in at the armory, and he believes he's finished with the rifle. But no matter what else he might do with his hands, love a woman, build a house, change his son's diaper; his hands remember the rifle.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Semper Fi (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)

a worthy effort but seems to be lacking

Gritty story based on the true life experiences of Marine recruit Anthony Swofford, a naive teenager who gets more than he bargained for beginning in basic training, then a long and hellish nightmare of combat after he's shipped off to Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm. Well-crafted, strongly acted, and extremely political the film certainly holds your interest, but the script is unfocused, the subject matter never truly compelling, and the momentum slows more and more as it goes along. Gyllenhaal is respectable as the reluctant Marine who finds himself in over his head, while Foxx is a powerhouse as his gung-ho sergeant. Starts off strongly, but gradually becomes conventional and loses its way. **½