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Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Jena Malone, Steve Buscemi ... see more see more... , Eamonn Walker

An Iraq War veteran who just narrowly escaped death in combat struggles with his new post at the Casualty Notification Office while anticipating his upcoming discharge in this military drama starring ... read more read more...Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Jena Malone, and Samantha Morton. Will Montgomery (Foster) has spent his fair share of time in army hospitals, and with just three months to go before returning to civilian life, he discovers that his girlfriend back home (Malone) has decided to move on with her life. Crestfallen, Will discovers that his latest hope for a fresh start will be training to work for the Casualty Notification Office under the mentorship of senior officer Tony (Harrelson). As someone who had a close brush with death himself, Will isn't sure that he's the man to tell families that their own loved ones will never be coming home. Thankfully, in between his assignments, Tony offers a sympathetic ear and the two men form a bond that will ultimately help them to readjust to "normal" life. But once you've been in the thick of it, any true hope for a "normal" life after the military is just wishful thinking. Later, Will is drawn to the grieving widow (Morton) of a fallen soldier, a development that forces him to ponder the ethical dilemma of starting a relationship with a woman in such a vulnerable position. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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72% liked it

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151 critics

R, 1 hr. 53 min.

Directed by: Oren Moverman

Release Date: November 13, 2009

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DVD Release Date: May 18, 2010

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Flixster Reviews (1,699)

  • blkbomb
    May 29, 2012
    blkbomb
    Captain Tony Stone: I know what you're thinkin'. You're thinkin' shit, I'm a goddamn decorated war hero with three months left to serve, and they draft me into the angels-of-death squadron. I get a beeper, a canned speech, and a lunatic commanding officer to serve a fuckin' ocean... read more of grief. Am I right? 

    The Messenger is a powerful piece of filmmaking. It never goes over the top with all the sadness that is in the movie. There's never that scene we are accustomed to seeing in lesser movies, where there's a sad score in the background when we are shown tearjerking material. Instead this film remains quiet in the sadness. We follow two army messengers that tell families of their loved ones death. The commanding officer, Stone, is by the book. He wants to go in, tell them, and get out. There's to be no touching of the next of kin. Will is a war hero who has three months left to serve, and is assigned to the job. The movie gives us these two characters whose personalities differ. Watching Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster in these roles is something special. 

    Harrelson and Foster have great chemistry on screen together, both give amazing performances, and go a long way in making the movie the powerful film it is. Harrelson is a favorite of mine, and we gives a really good performance, like the one here, it is an amazing thing to watch. Foster reminded me a lot of Sean Penn in this movie. I haven't seen to much of him, but he definitely shows that he is an extremely good actor with his work here.

    What makes this movie the amazing achievement it is though is the direction of Oren Moverman. He doesn't give in to the typical sentimentality and melodrama. He gives us scenes that are sad, but he doesn't try to force us to cry. The material is sad enough in its own right; so he knows that anything else is overkill. The situations the messengers walk into differ greatly. Sometimes their hated, sometimes their respected, and other times they are just their while the family grieves. All of these situations are handled greatly by Moverman, Harrelson, and Foster. 

    A war film unlike any I have ever seen. It isn't about the actual war, but the toll of the war on the home front. It's sadder and more meaningful then showing the viewer how the kids die, by blowing them up on screen. The point isn't to see how they die, but how their death is handled at home. When a soldier dies that is not the end, as they have family and friends at home who then have to fight a war with grief. The Messenger does an incredible job showing us that.
  • jamers2011
    March 4, 2012
    jamers2011
    An emotional powerhouse drama. Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster are stunning...
  • danperry17
    September 7, 2011
    danperry17
    Heavy, heavy stuff. Loved it. A couple of scenes go on a bit long, but overall this is a film with a lot to it. The characters are real, the plot is tight and comes together perfectly, the acting is impressive, and the gritty realist style brings to light just what the Iraq War h... read moreas meant to so many families, in the service or not. I think in 20 years we'll look at this film like we did Born on the Fourth of July: a touch sentimental, but one that's unafraid to wear its politics on its sleeve. I also think that this one will age better, due to its reluctant partner device and the gallows humour that accompanies it, which allows us to focus our attention on the two shattered lives charged with shattering countless more, daily, with news of a loved one's death in combat. Definitely see this movie: it's like a modern Tim O'Brien story, on screen.
  • cosmo313
    September 7, 2011
    cosmo313
    More often than not, when a film that is a wartime drama gets released, it usually focuses on the battlefield, and the horrors of war. Not all, but many. This is one of the few that focuses on what hapens after all that, when the news that no one wants comes, and the men who are ... read moreassigned to deliver it.

    Sometimes sad, sometimes bitter, sometimes even a bit funny, but definitely real, this is an excellent docudrama about Staff Sgt. Will Montgomery- a wounded veteran home from Iraq with three months left until his service is up. To finish out his time he is assigned to the Casualty Notification Office where he is sent out under the guidance of senior officer Capt. Tony Stone to notify family members of the deaths of their loved ones.

    The film focuses on this painful but necessary part of life, as well as the effect it has on both men, each with their own set of issues and the various ways they try to cope with them. At times this can be a very gut and heart wrenching film, and really awkward and uncomfortable, but it is presented in a respectful manner with characters that are very well developed and interesting. The script is very sharp, and the direction, as I said, gives it a feeling of realism that can be hard to endure, but never exploitative.

    Ben Foster once again proves he is a really talented person to watch, and he gives a fantastic performance filled with pain, emotion, and sympathy.
    Woody Harrelson shows that he can be brilliant no matter the size of the part he plays, or how much screen time he has. He brings an effective sense of weariness and experience to things. He and Foster have great chemistry together, and I'd love to see them work together again.

    Samantha Morton (whom I didn't recognize at first) is amazing as a widow who develops an odd rapport with Foster's character after he informs her that her husband has been killed overseas. Jena Malone takes what could have been a one note role ( Will's girlfriend who can't handle being with him anymore so she leaves him) and gives it mroe depth and substance. Steve Buscemi shines as one of several characters (like Morton's) who receive a visit from Stone and Montgomery and deals with it in a way that is very memorable and moving.

    This film avoids dealing with politics and the validity of war, and instead focuses on the people. It's a very moving indie drama that, as the directorial debut of screenwriter Oren Moverman, could be the start of a very great career for him as something other than a writer.You should definitely give this film a watch. It's quite compelling and kept me interested the whole way through.
  • MrMarakai
    August 19, 2011
    MrMarakai
    War films tend to show you the brutality of conflict on the battlefield; the blood and the guts; the firepower; the fear and the bravery. Few address the conflict at home, which is quite surprising as the ones that do, tend to be raw and personal stories. This one certainly is. ... read more
    Decorated Iraq war veteran Sgt. Will Montgomery (Ben Foster) is back home and dealing with various ailments. He's assigned to the Casualty Notification Office, where he and his superior Capt. Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) have the unwelcome task of informing next of kin whenever a soldier dies.
    A very impressive debut from director Oren Moverman who also co-scripted but also a very bleak and depressing drama, dealing with a part of war that is so often overlooked. Foster and Harrelson (in an oscar nominated role) both deliver intense and solid performances, every time they notify a next of kin, it's unbearably nerve wracking. Each relative dealing with their grief in different ways. Some with anger and violence, some with devestation, some with remorse, but each one as powerful as the next. As the film progresses, it concentrates less on the job they do and more on their own personal suffering, and as a result, loses momentum. However, when the full extent of their own emotional suffering becomes clear we are treated to a masterclass of acting from Foster and Harrelson in what becomes a very personal moment between them. There are periodic lulls, especially when the film branches off into Foster's romantic involvements with Samantha Morton and Jena Malone but these lulls are coupled with sporadic moments of brilliance. Ben Foster is steadily building a reputation for himself with his consistant portrayal of tortured souls and Harrelson - although not always a favourite of mine - is really starting to win me over with his shrewd choice of unselfish roles.
    Stark and hard-hitting but the performances from the two leads and the raw emotional power it posseses make it quite captivating.
  • hunterjt13
    June 29, 2011
    hunterjt13
    A Iraq War veteran works as a fatality notification officer under the tutelage of an equally damaged officer.
    The highlights of this film are the performances by Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson who both deliver strong, understated characters who are both deeply hurting and emotion... read moreally reserved. Though the penultimate, tearful breakdown by Harrelson is Oscar bait (he did receive a well-deserved nomination), the moments when they are delivering bad news to families are captivating if you watch the lines on their faces tense under their own restraint. Foster in particular is able to convey an entire story with a single look.
    The problems with the film are structural. It is too late in the first act before Montgomery deviates from the ethical boundaries Stone has carefully constructed. I spent the first forty-five or so minutes thinking, "This is a dramatically ripe situation, but not much is happening in the story." Then, the film tries to start a plot about an affair between Montgomery and the widow of a dead soldier, which might have worked had it been used as a catalyst for the main action. However, it comes too late, and I was never sure what the attraction is based on. Are these two damaged souls who find each other? Is his love an extension of his need to comfort? Instead of answers to these questions, what emerges is a sexual attraction that both are seemingly unable to resist, which seems weak considering the possibilities.
    Overall, this is a good "actor's film," but the story suffers too much to be all that it can be.
  • fb732260458
    May 12, 2011
    fb732260458
    The Harrelson/Foster duo blow this one of the water. A very moving, deeply tragic film about the continuing horrors of war back home and the people that are left to pick up the pieces. Superbly directed.
  • jennifxu
    April 29, 2011
    jennifxu
    Yaya from ANTM is in this! Yaya Dacosta! As the freaked out girlfriend who finds out her bf/husband/I don't remember is dead! YAYA.

    In all seriousness, the dichotomy between Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson is quite divine, as is the budding friendship/romance with Samantha Morton... read more. It stays taut throughout its running time.
  • jjnxn
    February 3, 2011
    jjnxn
    The acting is very good by the entire cast but the subject matter makes this a heavy going sad viewing experience.
  • fernandorafael
    January 25, 2011
    fernandorafael
    2009 will go down in history as, among other things, the year when Iraq War movies were good. Oren Moverman's debut is the gut-wrenching (but occasionally humorous) THE MESSENGER. As Sergeant Montgomery, the criminally underrated Ben Foster is assigned to the army's Casualty Noti... read morefication service, a.k.a. one of the worst jobs ever.

    Foster is simply brilliant as Montgomery. Oscar-nominee Woody Harrelson is solid, but definitely not at the same level as Foster, who should've gotten the nomination instead. Speaking of Oscar snubs, Samantha Morton is stellar (as always) and a brief appearance by Steve Buscemi will leave you open-mouthed.

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Critic Reviews

Rick Groen
February 26, 2010
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

The bombshell is the news of a soldier's death and the delivery of that message is the heart of this unsentimental, yet deeply moving, story. Full Review

Peter Howell
February 26, 2010
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

The film is premised on the verbal communication of urgent information, yet its many non-verbal moments provide the greatest strength and clarity. Full Review

Roger Moore
January 27, 2010
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Harrelson gives us layers of hurt under a callous yet needy crust. It may be the best performance of his career and certainly deserves Oscar consideration. Full Review

Rex Reed
December 10, 2009
Rex Reed, New York Observer

At its center lie three accomplished performances, by Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson and Samantha Morton, that are not to be missed. Full Review

Tom Long
November 25, 2009
Tom Long, Detroit News

The beauty in Foster's portrayal is that it never completely explodes, but anger and aching seethe behind his eyes. Harrelson, meanwhile, is a good old boy with a bad old job. Full Review

J. R. Jones
November 25, 2009
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

Whenever writer-director Oren Moverman moves past these scattered and admittedly voyeuristic moments into the lives of the two soldiers, the movie drifts into received wisdom and unconvincing romance. Full Review

Claudia Puig
November 24, 2009
Claudia Puig, USA Today

This is a wholly different look at the fallout of the Iraq War and its effect on soldiers and civilians. It is also a gentle portrait of grief, friendship and solace. Full Review

Wesley Morris
November 24, 2009
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

A forcefully acted and peculiar emotional drama... Full Review

Bill Goodykoontz
November 24, 2009
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

The Messenger delivers what it has to say without sensationalism or political posturing. That restraint, along with the quality of the performances, makes it all the more powerful. Full Review

Betsy Sharkey
November 20, 2009
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

Foster leaves you hoping that Will finds his way home. Full Review

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  • In the movie spider-man, when Peter joins everyone for thankgiving, everyone notices his cut on his arm. This was from the recent fight with the green goblin. What did Peter say he got it from?  Answer »
  • Who played the concious in The Messenger  Answer »
  • Which movies did actress Milla Jovovich star and Luc Besson direct?  Answer »
  • What ws the (not dead) little boys name in the Messenger?  Answer »
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