ReelBob: ‘This Is Not a War Story’ ★★★½

By Bob Bloom

“This Is Not a War Story” is an ironic title for this compelling anti-war movie about veterans who are fighting an internal conflict — battling demons that hamper their abilities to readjust, deprive them of sleep and overwhelm them with guilt.

The film gets up close and personal showcasing the trauma within these men and women who have served their country but can find neither help nor peace once they return to civilian life.

One of the touching aspects of the movie is the shedding of uniforms to create art as a step in the healing process.

The movie gives voice — in a loud and clear manner ­— to the anguish these veterans experience. And it is not simply recent wars, such as Iraq and Afghanistan. The movie shows Vietnam War veterans participating in the program.

The main focus of “This Is Not a War Story” is two young vets — Will LaRue (Sam Adegoke) and Isabelle Casale (Talia Lugacy, who also wrote and directed the movie).

Will is dealing the suicide of a fellow veteran, Timothy Reyes (Danny Ramirez), whom he was mentoring. Isabelle is a returning Marine, estranged from her mother and brother who could never accept her entering the Corps.

Isabelle joins the center where uniforms are shredded, pulverized and made into paper, which the veterans use to write their memories, poetry, humorous observations or anything to help them heal within.

Will and Isabelle gravitate toward each other. Like many of their comrades, when asked, they tell each other that they are fine or OK. But their eyes betray their hurt and bitterness, mostly about being sold a bill of goods by their government who told them the cause they were fighting for was righteous only to discover, as one veteran noted, that when in-country it seems they were fighting for Exxon, Haliburton and other corporate interests.

“This Is Not a War Story” is a difficult movie to watch. These men and women are the walking wounded, unseen by a society that sheds them as soon as they shed their uniforms.

They cope by smoking, drinking and through gallows humor. They write and create art as a balm to express themselves in ways they hope that outsiders can appreciate and understand.

The vast majority of cast members are Iraq and Vietnam veterans, which gives the movie an authenticity that makes it even more painful to experience.

But see it you should. It’s a humbling lesson about the neglect of our veterans and our apathy toward them once they put down their weapons.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.

THIS IS NOT A WAR STORY      
3½ stars out of 4
Not rated, language