Review of film: “STOP-LOSS” -- If you don’t see “STOP-LOSS”, it’ll be YOUR loss

Review of film:   “STOP-LOSS”   --  If you don’t see “STOP-LOSS”, it’ll be YOUR loss = 

                   [ RATING:  9 of 10 stars ] 

Date Rated: Mar 12, 2008 | Rel. Date: Mar 28, 2008 =

This is a powerfully gritty, thought-provoking film with excellent work by the main actors.  After maneuvers during Bush’s “Mission Phony Baloney” in Iraq, Brandon King (RYAN PHILLIPPE) & his friends Steve (CHANNING TATUM) & Tommy (JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT) are ambushed & barely get out alive…

…  Back home in Texas after serving their promised military service, they’re hailed as heroes. But, they find it hard to forget the horrors and problems they’d dealt with, and that further affects their being able to move forward with their future lives.  Things grow even worse when the Army tries to initiate a “Stop-Loss” to force them to serve MORE time in Iraq…

…  Ryan (with the help of Channing’s ex-girlfriend, Michelle [ABBIE CORNISH]) tries fighting the bureaucracy, while Channing tries to stop him. The movie impressively details the problems faced by them and those around them…

…  At the advance screening, [during a fascinating extensive filmed Q&A with the audience], Director KIM PEIRCE stated her “agenda” was to “tell the BEST STORY possible”, and she’s done [an EXCELLENT] job…