2012 in Film: #85 – Stop-Loss

2012 in Film: #85

Stop-Loss (2008) | Directed by Kimberly Pierce

Grade: C–

Thoughts: What we have here is a film with a very clear message. And though that film, directed by the woman who also directed Boys Don’t Cry, knows what that message is, it feels the need to bash it into the audience’s head absolutely mercilessly. What could have been a very, very interesting character study of men who get out of the army very damaged (in a Deer Hunter or Paths of Glory kind of way), it is instead a movie that feels the need to shove its socio-political message down the audience’s throat. This might be forgiveable if it were filmed well. Jumping back and forth between flash backs, a cinema verite style camera work, and then a fairly calm style of cinematography, it ends up being a mish mash of sad attempts to be stylish. It’s also hard to have empathy for the characters, who are damaged to the point of being insufferable. Shame. (Granted, there is some good acting.)