The powerful story of two siblings, thirtysomething Captain Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) and younger brother Tommy Cahill (Jake Gyllenhaal), who are polar opposites. A Marine about to embark on his fourth tour of duty, Sam is a steadfast family man married to his high school sweetheart, the aptly named Grace (Natalie Portman), with whom he has two young daughters (Bailee Madison, Taylor Grace Geare). Tommy, his charismatic younger brother, is a drifter just out of jail who's always gotten by on wit and charm. He slides easily into his role as family provocateur on his first night out of prison, at Sam's farewell dinner with their parents, Elsie (Mare Winningham) and Hank Cahill (Sam Shepard), a retired Marine. Shipped out to Afghanistan, Sam is presumed dead when his Black Hawk helicopter is shot down in the mountains. At home in suburbia, the Cahill family suddenly faces a shocking void, and Tommy tries to fill in for his brother by assuming newfound responsibility for himself, Grace, and the children. But Sam is not dead; he and a fellow soldier have been captured by Taliban fighters.
Starring:
Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, Clifton Collins Jr, Bailee Madison, Sam Shepard, Mare Winningham
Reviews:
"The family dynamic is the focus of this powerhouse of a remake of Suzanne Bier's 2004 Danish film in which the personalities and differences of two brothers take monumental shifts" - Urbancinefile.com.au
"The fine interplay between the three leads builds to a gripping, emotionally devastating finale that offers no easy answers while still arriving at a poignant and satisfying conclusion" - Sky Movies
"If you like drama with big showdowns and plenty of heartbreak, there's plenty to enjoy here" - Film4