| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Jake Gyllenhaal | ... | Anthony Swofford | |
| Scott MacDonald | ... | D.I. Fitch | |
| Peter Sarsgaard | ... | Alan Troy | |
| Jamie Foxx | ... | Staff Sgt. Sykes | |
| Ming Lo | ... | Bored Gunny | |
| Lucas Black | ... | Chris Kruger | |
| Kevin Foster | ... | Branded Marine | |
| Brian Geraghty | ... | Fergus O'Donnell | |
| Damion Poitier | ... | Poitier | |
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Riad Galayini | ... | Nurse |
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Craig Coyne | ... | Young Mr. Swofford |
| Katherine Randolph | ... | Young Mrs. Swofford | |
| Rini Bell | ... | Swoff's Sister | |
| Dendrie Taylor | ... | Mrs. Swofford | |
| James Morrison | ... | Mr. Swofford | |
Anthony "Swoff" Swofford, a Camus-reading kid from Sacramento, enlists in the Marines in the late 1980s. He malingers during boot camp, but makes it through as a sniper, paired with the usually-reliable Troy. The Gulf War breaks out, and his unit goes to Saudi Arabia for Desert Shield. After 175 days of boredom, adrenaline, heat, worry about his girlfriend finding someone else, losing it and nearly killing a mate, demotion, latrine cleaning, faulty gas masks, and desert football, Desert Storm begins. In less than five days, it's over, but not before Swoff sees burned bodies, flaming oil derricks, an oil-drenched horse, and maybe a chance at killing. Where does all the testosterone go? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
T the same time if you served in the marine Corps like me.
The actors do a good job of portraying the situation and the locals give it a realistic feeling.