Well said, and I think that's the main theme of the story. Many who don't like it may be missing that.
Agreed. This is not a “Hero saves the world... feel good” war movie. I felt it was a very respectful showing of the difficulty some have going back and forth from home to war. I took my high school daughter and we both liked the movie. As others said, it was silent at the end as the full theater emptied. Great job again by Clint Eastwood!
My high-school daughter went with us. I was telling her how the Iraq War, and more so the war in Afghanistan, was not really paid much attention to in the states - one of the disconnects so many soldiers said they felt.
During Vietnam it was on the news nightly - although with the negative viewpoints in so many ways. Coupled with the protest news.
I have shown her pages from the FR thread about WWII+70 years, reading articles with her from the 15+ pages of war news in the New York Times or whatever paper it is. Quite the difference - where EVERYONE was touched by the war in some aspect of life (loved ones serving, rationing, metal drives, etc.)
And of course the other big difference in that the only way you got back home was through Germany or Japan.
The soldiers of today, and still in harm’s way, are in many ways forgotten. Although perhaps it is that they are only forgotten by the MSM - as evident by the full theaters across America for this film. Even here in Liberal Seattle.