This poignant drama directed by and starring Talia Lugacy follows a traumatized Marine as she tries to connect with a group of fellow veterans at home.
“American Sniper,” “The Hurt Locker,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Saving Private Ryan” — “I hate those movies,” says Isabelle (Talia Lugacy), a U.S. Marine recently returned home from combat. Painfully inhibited, neglected by her family and racked with guilt over her meaninglessly violent actions overseas, Isabelle is not at ease in this world. She struggles to find reasons to go on.
At least she is not alone. Isabelle joins a multigenerational group of veterans who create antiwar artwork and poetry out of paper they fashion from discarded military uniforms. There she meets Will (Sam Adegoke), who has been blaming himself for the death of a vet he had been a mentor to, Timothy Reyes.
“This Is Not a War Story,” which Lugacy also directed, is a naturalistic, chat-heavy narrative that captures the difficulties wrought by the unimaginable trauma individuals face as they attempt to forge connections and find peace after war. It opens with Timothy drifting around the New York City subway, taking pills and ultimately dying unnoticed in his seat, a warning about the perils of coming home. The cast is supplemented by real-life veterans in supporting roles who speak to their own experiences.
In the film, Will uneasily takes Isabelle under his wing. “I hate the word ‘healing,’” he observes. “It’s not some point of arrival. It’s something you’re doing all the time.”
Unfolding at a restlessly melancholy pace, the film is less a plot-driven story than an assemblage of conversations and encounters. Its power lies in the tentative friendship that takes root between Isabelle and Will. Though their discussions — which touch frankly on issues including the horrors of Abu Ghraib — can seem contrived and literal-minded, the edgy vulnerability and emotional stiltedness the actors bring to their characters’ rapport is palpable and authentic. When the two eventually achieve a more relaxed, harmonious relationship, it feels like a minor miracle.
This Is Not a War Story
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 52 minutes. Watch on HBO Max.
Source: Movies - nytimes.com
