Jarhead

[Gold Trumpet]

I find it difficult to find fault in the structure when it's mostly/all autobiographical, I don't see how you blame Mendes? Maybe you should just blame Anthony Swofford for living.

Uhmm.. how do I respond to that? I have no opinion of Anthony Swofford, just the interpretation of his life and book by someone not him.

First, you misinterpret The Thin Red Line. For how meandering and without focus on a single story it is, it does have a tone. Whatever quality we believe the film to have, every element of that film comes from the identity of a naturally flowing narrative through out the film.

See, Jarhead has none. I think the filmmakers attempted to have a tone, but never really got to one. Yet it really did follow one character. The problem is that it was trying to make points way beyond the ability of telling it through one character so the film drifted to other characters and thus compromised our identification with the main character. Details about his life were skirted in cute voice over narrative and never elaborated on through action. By the time he got into the Gulf War, for the first hour his character and every other became a filler for every topical situation one could discern from the Gulf War. Then when the narrative slowed down, it never became interesting. It was flat the entire way through.

[modage]

it was Something In The Way, not Under The Bridge though. 

[killafilm]

First, you misinterpret The Thin Red Line. For how meandering and without focus on a single story it is, it does have a tone. Whatever quality we believe the film to have, every element of that film comes from the identity of a naturally flowing narrative through out the film.

You misinterpret my saying "They also remind me of how many would describe The Thin Red Line." I said many not myself.  I doubt anyone here can say they haven't heard someone (their mom, friend, random person) say that TTRL is clunky, meandering, boring, and ect...

You seem to have wanted to have everything happen to Swoff directly.  Well a naturally flowing narrative will indeed have secondary characters that bring wisdom to the hero and the audience.  I don't really know what to say... I just thought it was great.

I'd also like to hear Losing the Horse's thoughts.

[RegularKarate]

I found it far from boring.  I was entertained throughout the entire film.

It's one man's experience in a war and his experience is representative of the overall experience of the Gulf War... it doesn't try to do much more at all.  I think you're placing too much weight on your expectations just because it's a "war film".  I don't think it was trying to do whatever you think it was trying to do.

[The Perineum Falcon]

Yes, I for sure like it now.

Maybe we should change this from "We"



to just "GT"?

[Pozer]

it was Something In The Way, not Under The Bridge though. 

[SHAFTR]

Jarhead wasn't exactly what I thought it would be.  Once I strip away my false expectations, I find that I really, really liked this movie.

[Reinhold]

Jarhead wasn't exactly what I thought it would be.  Once I strip away my false expectations, I find that I really, really liked this movie.

what is there in the substance of this move to really, really like? for that matter, what is the substance of this movie?

[Gold Trumpet]

People here think I had expectations about the film. I really had none. And considering its been years since I've seen either American Beauty or Road to Perdition, I wasn't expecting a bad film here at all. I nearly forgot about how much I disliked Sam Mendes' films. Jarhead reminded me of them. I'd also like to think I at least adaquately explained my reasons. I can't say the same for most of those who liked this film. Its sad, but I think for many people here, a film is good until proven not.

[SHAFTR]

Jarhead wasn't exactly what I thought it would be.  Once I strip away my false expectations, I find that I really, really liked this movie.

what is there in the substance of this move to really, really like? for that matter, what is the substance of this movie?

Well, I don't know if anyone is really doubting the production values of Jarhead.  Cinematically, it is quite good.  As for the substance of the film, I think the pacing and structure of the film works very well.  We follow Swofford as he prepares for War, arrives, waits and finally sees combat.  As a viewer, I followed along with Swofford and felt what he was feeling in those situations.  At the same time, Swofford comes away a changed man and I can easily see why.

I understand why many are disappointed that Jarhead doesn't do as much politically as everyone hopes, but I think that works.  It gives the film a more objective feel, a recount of a true story (which it is), rather than a preacy political war film.

Finally, the film does have it's flaws.  Swofford's relationship with his girlfriend is never defined, so as a viewer I don't feel the same pain and suffering as he does over her.  I'd probably give Jarhead 4/5 stars, it might not even make my top ten of 2005 but it is a solid film, which I can come to expect from mendes.

[Pwaybloe]

Hmmm... I never once thought of PTA.  What scenes are you referring to in particular?

[ShanghaiOrange]

According to IMDB, most of the shit that happens in the movie didn't even happen to Swofford. They're just Marine Corp urban legends.

[Gold Trumpet]

According to IMDB, most of the shit that happens in the movie didn't even happen to Swofford. They're just Marine Corp urban legends.

I'm not surprised.

[md]

yeah the cheating wife thing/deer hunter scene was all legend...never happend to swafford.  i had to read this for my english class, and i found that the majority of jarhead isnt really swaffords personal memoior but of alot of other stories he had heard throughout his career as a marine.

[Pozer]

THEY looked at his story and went BOOOORING!  Then they threw in a few ingredients to spice it up, and the AUDIENCE went BOOOOORING!