From the producer of “Saving Private Ryan” and “The Day After Tomorrow” comes a beautifully written, and emotional buddy movie – which combines the sentiment of ‘Good Will Hunting’ with the razor sharp wit of ‘Thank You For Smoking’.
Will Montgomery has been to hell and back. He’s just returned from active service, where he sustained shrapnel injuries to his eyes and legs. But instead of sipping beers and working his way through rehab for the remaining 3 months of his Army contract, Will is reassigned to Casualty Notification – and the serious task of informing the relatives of soldiers killed in action. As a returning injured war hero, Will can’t believe he’s the one called on to do this demanding job. But in the internet age of touch-of-a-button information and on-the-ground war-reporting, it is vital the task is done quickly and effectively. The last thing the US army wants is for a mother to hear about the fate of her only son on CNN…
But it get’s worse for Will. He finds himself partnered with the world-weary, hard-assed and slightly unhinged Tony Stone; long-time veteran of the Casualty Notification Division, not to mention a recovering alcoholic. Tony’s job is to teach Will the do’s and don’ts of what everyone calls ‘the worst job in the army’, and, crucially, how to avoid making an already tragic situation even worse.
Thrown together by the emotional nature of their job, the two men form an unlikely bond as they travel around the state carrying out their duty. The situations they face are tough and challenging – a mother, hysterical in denial, a pregnant young wife, devastated with grief, a father, so furious with anger at his son’s death that he spits in their faces. But with Tony’s wry take on life, Will emerges from the shadow cast by his time in action, and the pair begin to cast aside their differences, creating a rare and often moving friendship, giving them the strength to carry out the toughest of duties with honour and respect.
But when Will breaks the cardinal rule of Casualty Notification, and develops romantic feelings for a recently widowed woman, the pressures begin to take their toll on the two friends. And when Will’s actions attract the attention of his Army superiors, it becomes clear that there’s a lot more than just honour on the line…
From Mark Gordon’s high profile production company and co-written by the extraordinarily talented Oren Moverman (in his directorial debut), The Messenger is a poignant, yet ultimately life affirming road movie about one of the toughest jobs around…
