by John P. Meyer

It's a gripping war drama of the homefront variety.

Oren Moverman didn't set out to direct The Messenger, the film made from the script he co-wrote with Alessandro Camon. In fact, he'd never directed a movie before. But when it came time for the producers to ramp up the project, Moverman was given the chance to step up to the plate.

And he's acquitted himself well, leading an accomplished cast through a story about camaraderie, shared grief, the meaning of heroism, and unexpected pathways to redemption.

The Messenger is a gripping war drama -- sort of. Instead of focusing on battle scenes or soldiers returning to the home front (with their problems in tow), it centers on men who serve in the U.S. Army's Casualty Notification unit. These men are tasked with the onerous yet essential duty of personally notifying next of kin that their loved ones have been killed in the service of their country.

Ben Foster plays Staff Sgt. Will Montgomery, a decorated Iraq War veteran who's just been discharged from Walter Reed (where the injuries he sustained in combat were treated). When he reports to Command, he finds himself reassigned to the "Angels of Death Squadron," as the Casualty Notification unit is colloquially referred to.

Will is teamed with Capt. Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson), an old pro at the process of breaking the Army's worst bad news, and he does it by the book: "Read the guidebook. Learn the script. Stick to the script." Will, who has established his bravery bona fides on the battlefield, must now prove them on this thankless, anxiety-laden home front, as he and Stone begin knocking on doors.

Reactions to their uninvited visits vary enormously, but one factor remains constant: It never goes smoothly. They face howls of anguish, argumentative disbelief, and both verbal and physical abuse. As Stone puts it: "There's no such thing as a satisfied customer."

(There's a particularly poignant scene in which the two dress-uniformed soldiers park their car across from a residential playground and begin walking down the block. The moms and their kids suddenly go quiet as they watch the progress of these bringers of bad news, wondering which household will be their destination.)

As is the case in other realms of soldiery, shared misery and hard duty promote bonding. Before long Will and Stone are hanging out at the local gin joint, trading girlfriend tales and checking out the female patrons. They swing a couple days off-duty and take off on a weekender with a pair of girls, one of whom has access to a cabin in the country.

On the way back to base (and still comfortably numb from booze), they pay a visit to the rehearsal dinner of Will's ex-girlfriend (Jena Malone as Kelly), who hitched up with another guy while Will was stationed overseas. The two underdressed and inebriated GIs wield the potential to turn this joyous occasion into an event-planner's worst nightmare -- or, they could just make it more memorable for all concerned.

One of the first rules of order Stone lays out for Will is this: "You do not touch the N.O.K." (Short for "next of kin.") In other words, no consoling, no comforting, no hugging or commiserating. Their job is to notify, not to counsel. But Will can't strip his humanity from the process, and eventually finds himself consoling one widow in particular (Samantha Morton, as Olivia). Can he maintain his professional demeanor, or will he and Olivia find a kind of redemption in each other's company?

The film's end credits include a long, long list of names under the header "dedicated to." According to filmmaker Moverman, he asked crew and cast members for the name of someone they loved and lost, and this list was the result.

I spoke by phone with The Messenger's director and co-scripter Oren Moverman, and you can listen in on our conversation in the attached audio file.

[NOTE that the cat meows heard on the audio originate from my end of the conversation. BAD kitty, Tugboat!]

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