Brothers

Last night I finally got around to seeing the movie Brothers. I spent the entire 20 minute drive home in silence.

I went in expecting some Pearl Harbor-love-triangle story line. What I saw was far from some cheesy soap opera. Very few films leave me almost speechless, driving home in silence, or even more impressive-have me thinking about them the moment I wake up. This was one of those films. It's about damn time someone made a war movie that didn't glorify war, have the audience impressed with the cinematography, or just simply have its lead actor up for an Oscar. Brothers addresses something much deeper that seems to be too often avoided: what really happens to those that are sent to the front lines and return to talk about it. Brothers reminds us that often they come back changed, very changed, feeling isolated from everything they care about and haunted by what happened 'over there.'

Without spoiling the movie, Brothers has Sam Cahill (Maguire) go through some really gruesome, well shit, in order to get back home to his wife and 2 daughters. In fact, there is a pivotal point in the movie, where this 'strong' marine is faced with probably one of the most horrify predicaments to try and save his own life. I sat there thinking, 'what would I have done it that was me? I know that right now, sitting in a comfortable reclined chair stuffing my face with popcorn I say, 'there is no way I could ever do that.' But what if I was a captive for nearly a year, beaten, starved and all I wanted was to see my family. Can I be so sure I would stay true to my character?"

Upon his return home, Cahill is a complete mess. He is awkward with his 2 young daughters, paranoid, suspicious of everyone, temperamental, and doesn't even seem to be comfortable with himself. He is haunted by what happened while in Afghanistan and feels isolated from everyone he loves. As he puts it, "They don't understand." Sadly, he never tries to make them understand and instead bottles up these demons so they slowly eat away at him.

Marines are 'built' to be these strong, trained soldiers who are supposed to handle any and everything they encounter. We are sadly mistaken to think this sort of training makes them inhuman and actually able to encounter everything they see while at war. In fact, they are human just like the rest of us and many have experienced some of the greatest horrors of life. None of which are appropriate to bury deep inside. Doing so is just a toxic recipe for disaster.

I went to school with this guy named Trevor. Probably one of the nicest guys you could have known. He was funny, good-looking, outgoing, a bit of a goof ball and definitely marched to the beat of this own drum....but certainly in a good way. After high school that he joined the Army and was shipped off to Iraq for over a year. I don't know exactly what happened during the 15 months he was over there, but I do know that, among other things, he saw his sergeant blown up right in front of him.

A week after returning home, Trevor hung himself in his backyard. He too, had become a victim of everything that haunted him once returning home from war. I imagine the same bubbly, bright-spirited Trevor that left for Iraq, never returned. Rest in Peace Trevor.

At this point, I don't really know what the point of this blog is. I guess to say..go see Brothers. Brothers shows you some of the real effects of war-what the recruiters don't want you to think about when they try to get your 18-year-old brother to sign up to 'be a hero and serve their country.' My brother recently signed up for the Marines, and about a month before he was supposed to start boot-camp, he was still able to and did back out. I was so thankful at the time, but after seeing this movie, I think I am even more grateful for his decision.

Coming back alive doesn't necessarily make someone any less of a war casualty. Brothers says that clearly.