Restrepo

I hadn't wanted to see any other films about either the Iraq or Afghan wars because this one is a documentary which I trust to be fairly accurate, and it didn't disappoint. I hope it will be nominated for an Oscar. The two filmmakers (Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger) spent a year with a platoon stationed in a very dangerous valley in Afghanistan. I didn't know what to expect from the film - too much horror? - but I found myself glued to the screen. "Restrepo" is the name of one of the soldiers who was killed fairly early on in the platoon's 15-month deployment. When they were assigned to set up an outpost, they named it "Restrepo" after him. Watching this film strengthened my opinion that neither the US nor any other foreign army has any business being in Afghanistan, that there's no way the continuing battles/skirmishes in various valleys with the locals can be doing any good. Of course both sides are going to be suspicious of the other, of course they're going to want revenge when members of their group or family are injured or killed, of course the locals aren't going to report on the Taliban in their areas. They need to work out their problems for themselves, especially since the original reason for the US being there after 9/11 has long passed. The American soldiers shown, including many of their heart-felt personal statements, are not vicious or in any way unusually violent young men. A full range of feelings are displayed: fear, shock, exhilaration, playfulness, boredom, expertise, strength, caring, and above all, the close-knit connection with other members of the platoon.

Barney's Version

I liked this film much more than a few reviewers whose columns I read did. We all agree that the performances are stellar - especially Paul Giamatti in the title role (I can't imagine anyone else playing it) and Rosamund Pike as his third wife Miriam, with whom he falls in love at his second wedding. I didn't recognize her as having been Helen in the wonderful film An Education from 2009 or the second Bond girl to Halle Berry in Die Another Day from 2002. Dustin Hoffman, Minnie Driver and others were also very effective. The film is based on Mordechai Richler's last novel, and the character of Barney resembles what I know of this well-known Canadian author, icon and curmudgeon who died in 2001. Beyond the great performances, I found the film to be very sweet, quite funny in spots, and an interesting story that held my attention as to the various characters and their lives. I had no trouble with the chronology of going back and forth between Barney's young and old life as I guess some reviewers did. Maybe this film is just too Canadian for some!