Pajiba

No shit? Really?

Well, color me both surprised and excited. Glad to see Cusack FINALLY making some better moves. I feel like his career has only consisted of four movies - Say Anything, Grosse Point Blank, High Fidelity and Better Off Dead. Glad to hear he's finally evolving.

"If you're a liberal, you're likely to see it as a movie about the human cost of war, a film that puts a name and a face to the families of those unphotographed coffins. And if you're conservative, you'll probably see it as a movie that honors the troops by humanizing their sacrifice."

You're drawing a senseless divide there. Conservatives, people who support the war, also realize there's a terrible human cost of war. That's not something /anyone/ should ever forget. War is nasty, horrible-- that doesn't stop it from sometimes being the right course of action.

The major divide in the Iraq war is, ostensibly, whether people felt it was a worthy cause or not.

On another note, apparently this film was made locally, and they didn't hire locally. Which irritates me, because there are some of us in the area who really need the work. I could be wrong and I just didn't hear the call but...phooey.

Still, sounds like my kind of movie. I hope it's as politically neutral as you claim, but after reading Cusack's interview about it, I'll believe it when I see it.

I saw something about the plot of this film awhile ago & decided right then & there it would be one for me to avoid. As a mom of 4 little ones, all under 9 years old & as an Army wife whos husband is currently deployed (has been a few times in the past as well) This movie would very quickly turn me into swollen eyed, snotty, blubbery mess. Sorry Cusack, bravo on the good job, but purely for my own sanity (dignity?) I gotta pass on this one.

okay...so I watched the (&$@^#@ preview. apparently I like a bit o'torture with my morning coffee.

Yeah, still gonna pass. Looks fabulous, but as soon as that doorbell rang all the signs where there. The lump in your throat, the quickened breathing, the quiver of the chin.

"May we come in?"
"no"
The reenactments of the 'what ifs' in my mind I have always told the guys at my door no.

Hits way too close to home.

I turned into a "swollen eyed, snotty, blubbery mess" just watching the trailer.

Okay, wow, I just made the mistake of watching that trailer at work, and had to retreat into the bathroom a teary-eyed mess. I will *definitely* be seeing this movie. The review was lovely.

I teared up just reading your review, Dustin. Everybody needs a good cry now and then.

geez, that killed me.

I can't wait to see it.

damn! I was hoping this shit would bomb. Nothing makes me happier than seeing Cusack and his annoying sister fuck some shit up.

Nothing makes you happier, Pooks?

I have noticed that you have been trying to improve your game, troll-wise; but you're still way beneath interesting, I'm afraid. Maybe BarbadoSlim will give you some pointers, if you're suitably humble.

sigh... pass me the kleenex box

Excellent review

Jerce, you are correct, I'm way beneath interesting.I want to be liked, but I'm afraid I'm not. I'm a lonely over weight old man trying to have some fun with the little time I have left. I'm sorry that you don't like the things I say, but it's just a cry for help. So please sir, in the future if you see me write vile things it's not out of anger, but rather a feeble attempt to have a little fun. I apologize to you and everyone else that I've offended.

Count me among the tearful.

Sounds like a movie I want to see.

Pookie may communicate primarily through four-letter words and grunts, but he/she/it has been commenting on the actual subject of the posts lately. I say bravo!
As for the mooovie, I will watch this in the privacy of my own home once it comes out on DVD, because I hate nothing more than shedding tears in public. I do enjoy a good sob-fest when I'm alone, however. Which is creepy/sad.
As for the Cusacks - - I think they are both tremendous actors and bring something worthwhile to every film they're in.

Aw Pookie, have a hug. *sniff*

Wow, watched the trailer and felt myself getting teary eyed. I'm definitely going to skip this one. The last time I saw a movie that made me cry really hard was "Christmas in August." That is one of the saddest movies that I have ever seen, right up there with "Grave of the Fireflies." Those are two movies that you should see if you're a fan of movies that wrench your heart out through your gut.

Oh, man, the part where he's talking to the answering machine just broke me into little, tiny pieces.

You are a jerk with no heart Jerce. You don't attack an old man who's just trying to have fun. You should be ashamed of yourself. In America our senior citizens are cherished.

Pookie, hold your head up. Don't let creeps like Jerce bring you down. I would give anything to talk to my father one last time.

dude, grace died on my birthday. thats weak.

clever use of a shitty anagram pookie. kiopeo? really? that was the best you could do? do people really have this little going on in their lives? jesus.

beautiful review dustin. despite the typos :)

And don't forget Alessandro Nivola in a brief but fantastic performance as the brother. Nivola is on my list of Actors Who Automatically Make Films Better. (Patrick Warburton is at the top of that list).

P.S. Thanks to this week's Guide I've been going around humming a HYMN under my breathe. Some kinda athiest I am. Damn you Williams and damn you Nivola.

Ah damn. I watched the preview, against my better judgement, and now I'm in love.

You're right Dustin, the daughters don't look the least bit precocious in the preview. I hate obnoxious children in movies, like Makenzie Vega's character in In the Land of Women, I still enjoyed the movie though.

Anyways, I must see this film, if only to hear that beautiful piano music again. Now all I need to do is convince someone to see it with me.

I almost forgot,

TK don't you think Being John Malkovich belongs in Cusack's list of great movies? I often times forget that he was even in that, I don't know how though.

I wasn't sure about this film--I often like to avoid having my gut wrenched, but this review and the trailer were so lovely, that I've added it to my list of films to see. (Of course, considering how infrequently I actually make it to a film in the theatre, that may mean that I see it a few months from now/next year on dvd.)

We capitalize verbs in titles in this world. Even short ones like "Is."

FYI.

(Don't feel too bad; rottentomatoes has it wrong, too.)

I don't think Pookie is quite up to the challenge of 'Slim slicing him off a little something so we should just hold back on that. I will however be the first to hit the Bullshit Buzzer on his 'Lonely old man...' nonsense. I will agree with the lonely part, and possibly over weight, but definitely with a terrible self image. Besides, he couldn't be a lonely, overweight, old man... I thought we were all aging (or not) hipsters. You know...the techno-trendy, volkswagon driving, starbucks drinking, Indie record label supporting hipsters. As we all know...hipsters aren't lonely. Birds of a feather and such... And hipsters are NEVER overweight. I'm sorry, but you wouldn't look right in your windbreakers, button down shirts, tight marron cords, Etnies sneakers, and single-shoulder laptop bags if you were overweight. And you would be WAY out of place at the next Ween/Flaming Lips double bill.

Now...I can't wait to see this specifically because I am not going to see a variation of Lloyd Dobbler. I can count on one hand the films where he isn't SOME version of Lloyd Dobbler/Rob Gordon/Hoops McCann. And I think those are his best performances; 'Being John Malkovich' and 'Max' coming ming to mind first. He could be reading a cake recipe and I'd see it.

I love me some John Cusack. Pookie doesn't. People can disagree. It's okay Pooks. It's okay to like Martin Lawrence. Maybe you'll find your big-boy voice when 'Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins' gets its glowing reviews. Yeah. That's when.

RicaB, the "is" is lowercase in the movie title.

As someone who was served in the sandbox and continues to serve, I'm very interested in the recent collection of films tackling the war, some with an obvious political message (Lions for Lambs, Redacted, even In the Valley of Elah to an extent) and some not (like this, if the reviews I've read are accurate). I admire any filmaker willing to take on the subject and am heartened by the fact that be they fictional or factual, our stories are being told.

I can speak for many of my fellow troops (across all services, by the way) when I say that we support each other, will do the best we can for each other and our country, but do not believe in the current policies of our leadership. Films like this and the others mentioned can help turn the tide of public opinion (certainly not by themselves, but they do help) so that we may never be again be put into such a dangerous and precarious position unnecessarily (due to the Uniformed Code of Military Justice, this is about as outraged as I'm "allowed" to get). And, like some of the above comments, I think it will be all too much for my wife, especially since I'm due to go over there again this summer.

I've been curious about this movie since Sundance. Cusack kept saying they tried to avoid the politics. I was skeptical. But it looks absolutely beautiful; honest. Normally I would pass on this sort of film. I'm past wanting to seek out sadness, but you can see the uplifting qualities about it already. Life goes on after all.

I disagree with the Lloyd Dobbler thing though. This character looks to me to be exactly who Lloyd would've become once he embraced responsibility, adulthood, and grew comfortable in his relationship. It's still Lloyd, but like Cusack himself, he's matured nicely.

Kolby, I wanted to slap a Grammar Nazi too, but RicaB is correct. Verbs get capitalized in movie titles. Even little bastards like "is".

Holy shit. I used my degree! I used my degree! It wasn't a total waste!

Now to get back to my soul-sucking menial desk job.

I cried during the trailer when I went to see I'm Not There.

PissBoy, your critique of me is golden.

Jerce, you are correct, I'm way beneath interesting...I want to be liked...I'm a lonely over weight old man...it's just a cry for help...I apologize to you and everyone else that I've offended.

Nicely done, pookie/kiopeo/oepiko. I am beginning to detect trace deposits of something that might be wit.

But you get no hugs from me, sir.

Re: is/Is, it all depends on the circumstances. In 6 months, when this is out on DVD, your local library will have it as "Grace is gone." since that's how librarians do that sort of thing. Of course, the argument could also go that we capitalize the first person pronoun I, but no editor on earth would screw with e.e.cummings' work. If the film's creators want it to be is, then it's is.

*climbing down off of my pedantic soapbox* Sorry.

Pinkcheese, you wild cat you.

On the mistiness scale, this one goes to eleven. Jesus.

This movie was on my questionable list because the subject matter is so prone to mistreatment and mining for unearned tears. Glad to hear that this movie is above that.

Its beside the point, but I thought that Cusack was also rather good in Bullets Over Broadway.

I thought the rule for titles was that anything over 3 letters got capatilized? So it would be "The Grace is Gone" (if the "the" were there, for ex.)....

Sorry folks, my Strunk & White is buried deep, so I'm digging deeper into my tired brain to remember grammar rules from 20 years ago.

Damn...

Someone should do a movie about the guys who get to go around and tell people their loved ones are dead. That's gotta be one of the worst jobs in the military that doesn't involve scrubbing a floor with a toothbrush or burning containers full of excrement.

LL: I'm pretty sure there's a documentary about that very topic.

I wish I could watch this movie. I'm just pretty sure it would result in vividly horrible flashbacks to that February afternoon when I was eleven years old when my dad sat us all down on the couch in the hospital and told us our mom hadn't made it. I think I started laughing. It wasn't a joke. I can't understand how you can muster up the courage to say those words to your kids.

Christ. Maybe I'll watch it in ten years or so ... y'know, when the wounds have healed enough so that I won't drown in my tears.

minus the pookie/jerce comment thread, the comments are making me tear up. Thank you Neka and Boogs for your sacrafices.

oops I mean *sacrifices*. Don't think my horrible spelling is reflective of my gratitude.

Much as I love you when you hate a film, Dustin, you are never more spot on as when you love one.

I would never have watched this either Claire, but reading this review changed my mind. I guess that's what it's all about, though.

And Boogs, know that regardless of where we fall in the meaningless political divide, we're thinking of you guys.

Damn all this sentimentality. This is all your fault Rowles.

While this looks good, way to close to home. I have family over there currently and in the not so distant past and yeah, it is too close to home.

Looks good though.

I took everyone's weepy comments as a PERSONAL CHALLENGE. I was going to watch the trailer, goddammit, and I was NOT going to even tear up.

The Husband was in that little war a long time ago, the Desert Storm one. He was hurt badly and a miscommunication error (more common than you might believe) caused my in-laws (I was only his fiancee then) to be told he had been killed.

Augh. He was alive, hurt badly, but alive and being flown to an Army hospital in Germany. We found out later and THAT was the wildest emotional roller coaster I ever hope to be on.

Firstly I have to admit that I love Cusack, even when he's crappy. Then I have to defend that it's not due to Dobler, as Say Anything was one of the last movies of his oeuvre I viewed.

I am not sure if I want to see this. On the one hand it looks great and like something I'd love. On the other hand, I cry whenever there's a "people sent to inform you someone you live is dead are at the door" scene. I also recently married a man I love more than life, who is an ex-Marine and re-enlisting in the Navy this month. I can't imagine what I'd do if I got the folded flag, and watching this movie might send me into paroxysms of fear.

Lastly, not to be overly sensitive. but I am a conservative. I take indescribable offense to the implication that as such, I am numb to the personal implications and everyday realities of war. I am an artist, and in one of my painting classes we were given the assignment to paint on the theme "Veteran's Day". All the liberals turned in paintings with faceless soldiers and bleeding flags, the broad symbolic generalization of war. My painting was of five soldiers, from five branches, that I know personally. Their faces, people I love and respect, taken from photos where their individuality was most on display. The fact that they proudly defend us all does not erase their individuality, or mean that that they all think or act the same way. Neither does the fact that I am a conservative.

I never cry. And I'm a puddle of cry right now just from the preview. I'll wait for DVD so I can sob in the privacy of my own home.

I'm not a huge fan of Cusack,but I can't deny there's something truly genuine about him.

Okay,that was useless.

I've heard great buzz about this movie. Before,I could never see Cusack other than his affable, metrosuxal self, but I admit my tearducts gave way when I saw the trailer. I'm glad Cusack can finally be someone other than variations of Lou Dobler. I hope he gets some appreciation for his really wonderful effort here.

"I like a bit o'torture with my morning coffee"
"geez, that killed me. I can't wait to see it."
"I do enjoy a good sob-fest"
"I'll wait for DVD so I can sob in the privacy of my own home"

Crying on purpose? I just don't get it. I'll laugh until the baby hits kindergarten, then I'll get out my kleenex. Until then, I donate all my spare tissues to you all.

and hugs, all around.

Excellent review of a movie that might be a little too real for me.

My exhaustive three minutes of research, while yielding some conflicting evidence, leads me to believe that "is" should indeed be capitalized. However, please note that the reason to capitalize given by Supercilious Grammar Nazi is absolutely without merit. As pinkcheese said, the producers have license to violate rules of grammar in the title if they so wish. In such cases, the only valid response is to violate the rule right along with them.

But it looks to me as though they intend the title to be "Grace Is Gone". The blue bar header on the official website goes with "is", but the movie poster clearly shows the "I" in a larger font size than the "s" (even though the word as a whole is in a smaller font size than "Grace" and "Gone"). The fact that the title is actually in all caps would muddy the issue if the "I" and "s" were the same size, but they're not. And the poster was assuredly more thoroughly vetted than the website header, so I take that to be the ultimate authority.

My goal is not to lecture an esteemed staff of professional writers on minute points of grammar -- I wish merely to bring germane evidence to the table. And also to use the term Supercilious Grammar Nazi.

Indeed, sansho1. All forms of the verb "to be" (no matter how short--it doesn't matter if it's only 2 letters) SHOULD be capitalized in a title if you are following strict rules of grammar. However, if a film/book/play/author/whatever goes with unconventional capitalization (such as making "is" lowercase, or in more extreme cases, like with e.b. white), it is proper to follow the unconventional capitalization when citing it. I actually just recently had a grammar seminar on this at work (I tutor college students).

As for the film, I watched the trailer and almost lost it. I won't be seeing this, not because it doesn't look good, but because, like many of you, I don't want to leave half of my bodily fluids in the theater from sobbing for two hours.

I love Cusack(and his sister),but I don't know if I can watch this movie. I was a mess after the trailer, for goodness' sake...

Hmmm, my withered little Grinch heart must be even smaller than I thought, but the trailer did nothing for me.

And I looked real hard, but I didn't seen any jowls. I think Mr Cusack is aging very well.

I have this sort of love/hate thing going on with Cusack right now. His real life doucheness I am afraid Is seeping into my view of his work (I think, or it could just be that martian child movie was worse than even I thought.) I agree with Dustin that it looks like a more mature role for Cusack and God knows he needed to mature as an actor but I don't think one tug at the ole heartstrings movie will redeem him in my eyes. I guess what I am trying to say Is that when it comes to Cusack "I just need more time".

Oh and Pookie I will send you out a hug too, but only because I think anyone who changes their screen name (and quite badly too I might add) just to answer their own post Is sadder than this movie.

Phat girl, you are indeed a genius to figure out that I switched the spelling of my name around. Now maybe you can tell us how the Pyramids were built.

Way to take the focus off the fact that you wrote this...

"Pookie, hold your head up. Don't let creeps like Jerce bring you down. I would give anything to talk to my father one last time."

... to yourself.