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Ryan Phillippe, Abbie Cornish, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ciarán Hinds ... see more see more... , Timothy Olyphant , Victor Rasuk , Rob Brown (VI) , Mamie Gummer , Josef Sommer , Linda Emond , Alex Frost , Steven Strait

After serving his tour of duty in Iraq, a young American soldier who is ordered to return to the front lines as part of the military's controversial stop-loss policy opts instead to go AWOL in a thoug... read more read more...ht-provoking military drama directed by Kimberly Peirce. Sgt. Brandon King (Ryan Philippe) is a decorated Iraq War veteran who once served his country with pride. After his tour of duty comes to an end, King returns to his Texas hometown and attempts to pick up where he once left off with a little help from his family, as well as long-time best friend and war buddy Steve Shriver (Channing Tatum). But just as Brandon, Steve, and the rest of their war buddies begin to settle back into civilian life, Uncle Sam comes calling on them once again. Suddenly ordered back into active duty, the disillusioned war veteran begins to question not just his ties to family and his longtime friendships, but his capacity for love and his sense of honor as well. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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27% liked it

732,512 ratings

Critics

64% liked it

140 critics

R, 1 hr. 52 min.

Directed by: Kimberly Pierce, Kimberly Peirce

Release Date: March 13, 2008

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DVD Release Date: July 8, 2008

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Stats: 12,511 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (12,511)

  • TheDudeLebowski65
    September 2, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Stop Loss is one incredible drama film. With an incredible cast at hand, director Kimberly Peirce tells the story of an Iraq war veteran which because of the Stop Loss policy of the U.S Military, is forced to stay in the military against his will. Stop Loss is a brilliant film th... read moreat exposes the ludicrous Stop Loss policy. Starring Ryan Phillipe, in what I consider the best performance of his career, Joseph Gordon-Levitt delivers a great performance as well. Stop Loss is a well paced drama film with an important story. Of all the films that Ryan Phillippe has done, none has come close to Stop Loss. This is a powerful film that is superbly well done. Kimberly Peirce follows up her debut feature film, Boys Don't Cry with this intense war drama. The film at times struggles with its material, but it gets the point across and the film, I think is significant as a picture that embodies the nature of service men everywhere. Watching this film, you realize what these men go through and what they sacrifice in the process and it makes you appreciate what they do that much more. If you enjoy a good drama/war film, then Stop Loss is the film for you. Stop Loss manages to be a terrific, emotional journey for one soldier who is conflicted with doing the right thing. A phenomenal, and different war film. I think Stop Loss delivers a refreshing dramatic experience while using the Iraq War as backdrop for its story. A very underrated film, and one that shouldn't be missed.
  • imrealgod
    May 12, 2011
    imrealgod
    I hope that there's more to "Stop Loss" than what's depicted in this movie. It's disturbing that one is left helpless and with no option when On returning home after serving for about 5 years in Iraq, the protagonist doesn't intend to go back. He's taken aback when he's told that... read more, being stop-lossed, he'll have to leave for Iraq again soon. He's offered no other favorable option. He's not willing to accept this, and goes AWOL to make efforts to get out of this situation.

    A person volunteers to serve for his nation, does his duty for several years loyally and returns. What's wrong if he doesn't wish to go back? How fair is it to make one so helpless? I hope that the "stop loss" provides reasonable options, and doesn't just enforce anyone who's unwilling to go.
  • danperry17
    May 1, 2011
    danperry17
    It's been a long time since I've seen an MTV Film, and this one was better than most that I remember. It was a little too glossy and angsty to take seriously in some places, but overall I thought it was a sensitive and gripping story about friendship and trauma. In a way it write... read mores itself into a corner: neither potential ending would be completely satisfying. Unfortunately, that's the reality of stop-loss: the stats at the end of the film show that 15% of troops (through the end of its production) were forced back to the front. This is a sad and important story, regardless of whether it's a great film or not, and if you don't want to watch this movie, fair enough, but promise you'll read a book about this policy, ok?
  • SirPant
    November 29, 2010
    SirPant
    Stop Loss highlights one of the many problems of war, the way our solders are treated. Spoken of as heroes but totally taken advantage of. I was unaware of the Stop Loss clause so good on the makers for bringing it to the public's attention. It also highlighted the social and men... read moretal issues that solders have on their return into society. It's a little known fact that more American solders have committed suicide on their return home than have actually died in action - a shocking revelation. This is definitely not an action war film and although it's not based on actual events, it raises very real issues that can't be ignored. A real stand alone war film of recent years, well directed by Kimberly Peirce.
  • dreamfaeries
    September 23, 2010
    dreamfaeries
    This movie takes your mind, heart, and soul then runs away on an adventure into the big bad world of war. Fantastic actors filling fantastic roles, a storyline that literally blows you away, and a fight for what is right. What can go wrong, right?
  • yona71
    May 26, 2010
    yona71
    Talk about a film that's been overlooked!
    "Stop-Loss" is an intense look at a group of soldiers who return home from a tour in Iraq. The nightmare doesn't only lay on the battlefields, but on the home turf of the distraught sodiers trying to put the pieces together in their mind... read mores, and re-establish their lives which is clearly by no means an easy task after what they've been through and witnessed.
    This film rivals "The Hurt Locker", but delves more into the relationships between the soldiers, their girlfriends back in their Texas hometown, and situations between other individuals that presents the question of why they are protecting people who in some cases give them nothing but trouble.
    Ryan Phillippe is an actor who has not been given the credit he so well deserves, and turns in yet another brilliant performance in this film revolving around a soldier being pulled back into duty to places where the chances of returning home in one piece or even at all are quite slim.
  • fb733768972
    May 23, 2010
    fb733768972
    Many people have not seen this film, and they have no idea what they are missing! Truely an amazing film! One of the best films ever made, and with twists that will have even people against war films cheering. This film delivers amazing performances by every single cast member fo... read morer once, and I would not change a second of this film!
  • LWOODS04
    February 12, 2010
    LWOODS04
    Ryan Phillippe, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Timothy Olyphant, Rob Brown, Abbie Cornish, Linda Emond, Ciaran Hinds

    DIRECTED BY: Kimberly Peirce

    Decorated Iraq war hero Sgt. Brandon King makes a celebrated return to his small Texas hometown following his tour of dut... read morey. Brandon tries to resume the life he left behind with the help and support of his family and his best friend, Steve Shriver, who served with him in Iraq. Alongside their war-time 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. This upends Brandon?s entire world. The conflict into which he is thrown tests everything he believes in: the bond of family, the loyalty of friendship, the limits of love, and the value of honor.

    I always state how I don't care for war movie's, but yet I keep finding myself watching them. Even more surprising I like most of the ones I see. I guess I am just finally watching the good one's like Stop-Loss. This movie shows us how war can extend a soldiers term by using the Stop-Loss policy. Great performances from the three leads Ryan, Channing, and Levitt. The one who sticks out for me the most is Levitt. More likely because his character was so haunting. He really knows how to bring a character to life. It's a great story that gives some unknowing people of the war another insight to what it's like. Great movie.
  • Redlats
    September 28, 2009
    Redlats
    I am not really into war movies. However, Stop-Loss kept me watching to the bitter end. It deals with the inhumanity of war, of soldiers trying to fit back into civilian life, and with the American government's Stop-loss program - a program to keep soldiers in the war beyond eve... read moren when their tour of duty should be over.

    I found the ending disappointing and a let-down.
  • kiriyamakazou
    August 11, 2009
    kiriyamakazou
    It's an enlightening film but doesn't really express it's ideas in the most eloquent of ways. When a character yells out "Fuck the President!" Subtlety slides out the back door without making a sound. Levitt and Tatum give great performances and Phillipe is a strong anchor. His c... read moreharacter being conflicted and betrayed after serving his term and then being drafted back. Peirce has lost some of her ferocity since Boys Don't Cry resulting in Levitt's and Tatum's familiar character defects of an alcoholic and a man prone to violence. Surely war can mess people up more than this. In an ideal film, we would have got more of Phillipe before being stop-lossed, which would have made for a more interesting comparison between a patriotic volunteer and an angry, betrayed man.

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Critic Reviews

David Denby
March 31, 2008
David Denby, New Yorker

Stop-Loss is not a great movie, but it's forceful, effective, and alive, with the raw, mixed-up emotions produced by an endless war -- a time when the patriotism of military families is in danger of b... Full Review

David Edelstein
March 31, 2008
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

The power of Stop-Loss -- and this is no dumb joke -- is that it shows its hero between Iraq and a hard place. Full Review

Richard Roeper
March 31, 2008
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

[A] very worthy film.

Joanne Kaufman
March 28, 2008
Joanne Kaufman, Wall Street Journal

Swamped by clichés, continuity problems, stock characters and very good intentions. Full Review

Claudia Puig
March 28, 2008
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Stop-Loss can't quite decide whether to focus on making a powerful statement on a controversial and unfamiliar military policy or on a more predictable drama about the traumatic effect of war on young... Full Review

Philip Marchand
March 28, 2008
Philip Marchand, Toronto Star

The movie is a gripping but very limited view of their lives. Full Review

Richard Schickel
March 28, 2008
Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

As a nation, we owe them more than they owe us -- as this painfully necessary and heartfelt movie makes abundantly clear. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
March 28, 2008
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Clearly, Peirce's motives are pure. She's not using the 'stop-loss' issue as a wedge to make the government or the administration look bad. She's using it to dramatize an injustice and to advocate on ... Full Review

Carrie Rickey
March 28, 2008
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer

While it would be premature to decorate it as the Best Years of Our Lives or Coming Home of the Surge, Stop-Loss carries the emotional force and propulsive drama of the quintessential soldier's story. Full Review

Stephen Whitty
March 28, 2008
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

There are good and confident choices here, particularly in the direction, and the way it integrates the soldiers' own war movies. Full Review

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