‘This is Not A War Story’ Is Not Your Average War Movie (Movie Review)
By Mike Szymanski
This is Not A War Story
Rating: 9/10
Trailer: https://youtu.be/_qMnueNMRoo
Director, Writer & Star: Talia Lugacy
Style: Narrative Drama/Documentary
Website: www.thisisnotawarstory.com
No, no, it’s not a war story, but in a way it is a war movie. The war is inside the characters, each character, who has finally made it home from war, but are each living in a war of their own.
It may not be a war story, but it’s truly one of the most dramatic stories about war that you’ll ever see.
Already film festivals around the world are applauding actress Rosario Dawson for making this dramatic producing project with the incredible directorial talents of Talia Lugacy, who also scripted the project.
Although detailed in the script, there’s no doubt a lot of ad-libbing and spitballing going on among the veterans who try to make sense of the feelings they are having now that they’ve returned home from combat, and how a lot of it is not making sense. They are turned away from their close family and friends, they are unable to hold jobs, they are unable to have successful relationships.
This movie delves into the post-war world of how veterans learn to re-enter society. In this case, veterans are shown making paper out of their own military uniforms and writing and drawing their thoughts and experiences on this heavy papyrus.
“In the mix of this,” says a vet as he stirs this vat of goop, “is Panama, sweat, blood, Iran, Afghanistan…” and a whole lot of stuff that creates the paper. “It’s forgiving. Anyone can do it.”
But not anyone can create the dramatic artwork that goes onto those very personal pieces of paper. Some of these powerful poems at gallery readings and displays of artwork are actual works from former soldiers.
The movie kicks off with a handsome soldier and a funny song about how “I’m a fucking hero.” Within moments, he is found dead on the subway, an apparent suicide. His peer-to-peer counselor Will, played by Sam Adegoke (who was in “Dynasty”), takes it hard as he is told, “if the kid wants to die, he’s going to find a way.”
Suicide is part of the war that these characters face. Enter Isabelle, (played by director/writer Lugacy) who is a hardened war vet who hides her leg injury. She is trying to work things out by volunteering at the art center, making paper out of old uniforms.
She also admits, “I only feel comfortable around people who want to kill themselves.”
The movie his heart-wrenching, when you hear these promising young people talk about “Instead of being the Jedi we realized we were the Stormtroopers.”
Their stories of battle, of betrayal, of guilt, of horrors, are true, and gripping.
This is a film that took over three years to work on and collaborate with a cast that includes actual Iraq and Vietnam veterans.
Like some of the real characters, Isabelle deals with an estranged mother who didn’t want her daughter to go off to war. She’s played by an unrecognizable Frances Fisher (of “Titanic” fame), who treats he daughter horribly by saying “you don’t understand, you don’t know what it’s like” when Isabelle is truly the person who does understand what it’s like.
Some of the most beautiful moments are the quiet ones, when Will and Isabelle are alone, make love, or sit quietly by a campfire. She wants to know how to live.
“This is Not A War Movie,” no indeed, but it’s a dramatic look at the quiet wars that battle inside us all.
Look for this dramatic film to debut exclusively on HBOmax and a limited theatrical release in early November.
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