American Son (2008)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Neil Abramson

Writers:

Eric Schmid (screenplay)
Neil Abramson (story) ...

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The story of a young Marine, fresh from Camp Pendleton, who is forced to confront the complexities of adulthood and a volatile home life during a four-day Thanksgiving leave. |

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Nick Cannon	...	Mike
Melonie Diaz	...	Cristina
Matt O'Leary	...	Jake
Jay Hernandez	...	Junior
April Grace	...	Donna
Chi McBride	...	Eddie
Tom Sizemore	...	Dale
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dotan Baer	...	Marine Sargeant Baer
Danielle Barbosa	...	Cristina's Mother
Carlos Caliz	...	Gang Banger
Percy Daggs III	...	Shawn
Dennis D'Antin	...	Alex
Eurydice Davis	...	Amber
Erick Florez	...	Gang banger
Erica Gluck	...	Tricia
Wade Harlan	...	Marine - Corporal Rogers
Jolene Hjerleid	...	Dawn
Sal Lopez	...	Cristina's Father
Sean Marquette	...	Darcy
Bryan Marsh	...	Redneck
Robert T. Parker	...	Marine LCPL Parker
Alex Perez	...	Marine - Private
Jose Perez	...	Marine
Ray Santiago	...	Miguelito
Diana Terranova	...	Tammy
Michael Welch	...	Goldie
Herman Wilkins	...	Aaron

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and drug use.

Runtime:

USA:90 min (Sundance Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

New Zealand:R16 | USA:R (certificate #45363)

Filming Locations:

Bakersfield, California, USA

Company:

Map Point Pictures

Soundtrack:

God Damn

provocative film, very moving and subtle. made me reflect about war...

I saw this movie at a screening in LA with some friends and was very moved.

The story is in essence about a young marine who returns home for the first time since joining the army for Thanksgiving, before being shipped to Iraq. The movie follows his story for the 3 or 4 days of his visit home.

The movie is very topical, but subtle too - and deals with the sensitive effects of war on family, and young men whose lives are essentially put on pause for the Iraq war.

It is poignant that Mike meets Christina, someone who he really feels he could care about, the weekend before he is shipped to Iraq. Young love is not even given a chance because of war.

The style of the movie is very realistic, great dialogue and acting. It is very well directed. My personal favorite character is Matt O'Leary as Jake, whose performance is outstanding. April Grace portrays the mother of a soldier incredibly well.

In short, I think this movie is excellent - and as citizens of the world, it sheds important insights onto the current political situation. Not necessarily political or macro insights, although those are there to be interpreted, but certainly a personal view of war - and how it affects individual families.

It gives me more conviction that we should stop sending our wonderful young men over there to die!