Set in small town America and (The) Iraq we follow the widely divergent stories of two brothers; one who has just being released from prison, Tommy Cahil (Gyllenhaal) and Capt. Sam Cahil (Maguire) who revisits Iraq with the U.S. Marines.

Basically, when Sam goes off to war Tommy, who no one previously seemed to like because he was a con and a drunken mess, takes on the father figure role for Sam s daughters and for a while it looks like he will hit on his wife Grace (Portman) too.

Whilst Tommy gets cosy, Sam is stuck in a bit of a pickle in Iraq, which allows us to witness the kind of mentality and utter evil insane actions of the men in beards. This is a story that explores themes of bad versus good; how good can become thwarted and how bad can change, the issues affecting those involved in war, family and trust.

There were points when I was close to tears and I came out feeling oddly melancholic because the film hit a bit of a raw spot yet I was so glad to have seen it. This story could be real and it may have happened before and that’s why I really liked it but that is what made it frickin’ scary and sad.

Not only was it bursting with tension and entertaining but there lays a number of poignant statements in this film and I recommend you go see it for yourself. I deduct one point for some bad green-screen close to the start of the film and some parts where I found myself cringing when it got a bit cheesy.

There were points when I was close to tears and I came out feeling oddly melancholic because the film hit a bit of a raw spot yet I was so glad to have seen it. This story could be real and it may have happened before and that’s why I really liked it but that is what made it frickin’ scary and sad.

Emer Molloy