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Stop-Loss

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Synopsis

No gay content here, but who are we to deny our loyal customers the sights of Ryan Phillippe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Channing Tatum in military uniforms.

Decorated Iraq war hero Sgt. Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe) makes a celebrated return to his small Texas hometown following his tour of duty. He tries to resume the life he left behind with the help and support of his family and his best friend, Steve Shriver (Channing Tatum), who served with him in Iraq. Along with their other war buddies, Brandon and Steve try to make peace with civilian life. Then, against Brandon's will, the Army orders him back to duty in Iraq, which upends his world. The conflict tests everything he believes in: the bond of family, the loyalty of friendship, the limits of love and the value of honor.

3 Reasons To buy this film

The director of Boys Don't Cry tackles the war in Iraq
The war footage in the first half hour is tremendous
The rest of the film, of course, is left-wing anti-war stuff... so liberals, this one's aimed at you

Customer Reviews

Testing Beliefs

Amos Lassen wrote on 04/01/2011:

“Stop-Loss” is a powerful film about the nature of bravery and doing the right thing while facing death in the process. It also looks at patriotism and honor. In today’s army in America these are not hypothetical ideas but the basis of character.
“Stop-Loss” tells the story of a group of soldiers from Texas who come home from Iraq. Just before they leave the Middle East, they are involved in an ambush that kills three of them members. Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe), the squad leader, feels responsible for the deaths and he plans to leave the service when he gets back home. However, when Brandon turns in his gear and his paperwork, he is informed that he is to return to Iraq on a stop-loss which he contests on the spot. He had no choice in his own mind but to go AWOL in order to find a way not to return to the war. He decides that the best thing to do is to convince his local Senator to help him and as he runs, his conscience begins to bother him. When he meets the family of one of his dead men, he learns about people who could get soldiers through to Canada. He then goes to see another of his comrades who was seriously wounded and he realizes that he is facing the hardest decision that he will ever have to make.
What is unique about the film is that it does not take sides. It is pro-soldier and we cannot help but like the guys and we want them to find both happiness and safety. We do see that the coming home process is not easy for them and tensions flare and explode. We see and feel the emotions of the men and the film portrays what is happening right now. It never tries to bring home a point and leaves it to the viewer to make his own decisions.
The casting is what makes this film. Phillippe gives a performance that is complex and earnest and he amazes. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is ferocious and gives his finest performance yet and Tatum Channing is wonderful. Abbie Cornish as a young woman in love with an impossible man almost manages to steal the movie.
“Stop-Loss” deals with soldiers as people and the director, Kimberly Pierce (a female incidentally), sees the military differently and therefore gives us a different view altogether.
This is a serious film and some may find it depressing but that is perhaps how we should feel when we think about the war in Iraq. The movie is about what we have been trying to ignore but should be paying close attention to. The war does not let the soldiers go and those that have been in it have to live with it during their entire lives.