The Messenger (2009 film)
| The Messenger | |
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 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Oren Moverman |
| Produced by | Mark Gordon Lawrence Inglee Zach Miller |
| Written by | Alessandro Camon Oren Moverman |
| Starring | Ben Foster Woody Harrelson Steve Buscemi Samantha Morton Jena Malone Yaya DaCosta |
| Editing by | Alexander Hall |
| Distributed by | Oscilloscope Laboratories |
| Release date(s) |
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| Running time | 113 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $6.5 million[1] |
| Box office | $1,521,261[1] |
The Messenger is a 2009 war drama film starring Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Steve Buscemi, Jena Malone, and Samantha Morton. It is the directorial debut of Oren Moverman, who also wrote the screenplay with Alessandro Camon.
The film premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and was in competition at Berlin International Film Festival 2009 where it won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay and the Berlinale Peace Film Award '09.[2] The film received first prize for the 2009 Deauville American Film Festival. The film has also received four Independent Spirit Award nominations (including one win), a Golden Globe nomination, and two Academy Award nominations.
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Plot [edit]
Will Montgomery (Ben Foster), a lone rebellious U.S. Army Staff Sergeant and declared war hero, has returned home from Iraq, and since he served enough war time, he is assigned as a Casualty Notification officer. Montgomery is partnered with a strict recovering alcoholic, Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson), to give notice to the families of fallen soldiers. The Sergeant is drawn to Olivia Pitterson (Samantha Morton), now a single mother, to whom he has delivered news of her husband’s death.[3]
Cast [edit]
- Ben Foster as Staff Sgt. Will Montgomery
- Woody Harrelson as Capt. Tony Stone
- Steve Buscemi as Dale Martin
- Jena Malone as Kelly
- Yaya DaCosta as Monica Washington
- Samantha Morton as Olivia Pitterson
- Fiona Dourif as Returning Soldier's Wife
- Eamonn Walker as Lt. Col Stuart Dorsett
- Peter Francis James as Dr. Grosso
- Jahmir Duran Abreu as Olivia Pitterson's son
Production [edit]
The Messenger marked the directorial debut of Israeli screenwriter and former journalist Oren Moverman. Though Sydney Pollack, Roger Michell, and Ben Affleck were all attached to direct the movie at various times, when those talks fell through, the producers eventually asked Moverman to helm the project.[4] The filmmakers worked closely with the United States Army and the Walter Reed Medical Center to conduct research on military life, and were specifically advised by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Sinor as a technical consultant.[5]
Reception [edit]
The film currently holds a 90% 'Certified Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 151 reviews.[6] The film also currently holds a 76% 'Generally favorable reviews' rating on MetaCritic based on 27 reviews.[7] Harrelson's performance was subject to considerable praise, leading to Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor.[8]
Top ten lists [edit]
The Messenger received strong positive reviews from critics and appeared on several critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2009.[9]
- 3rd: Robert Mondello, NPR[9]
- 4th: Ty Burr, Boston Globe[9]
- 4th: Stephen Holden, The New York Times[9]
- 9th: Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter[9]
- 10th: Peter Travers, Rolling Stone[9]
- Top 10: David Denby, The New Yorker[9]
Awards and nominations [edit]
Wins [edit]
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Nominations [edit]
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Box office performance [edit]
In North America, The Messenger opened in limited release, and so far the film has grossed $1,109,660. With a foreign gross of $411,601, The Messenger has achieved a worldwide gross of $1,521,261.[1]
References [edit]
- ^ a b c The Messenger (2009). Box Office Mojo (2010-05-13). Retrieved on 2011-04-03.
- ^ Todd McCarthy (2008-12-04). "More star power at Sundance". Variety. Retrieved 2009-02-03.
- ^ The Messenger full synopsis at contentfilm.com
- ^ Metro – An intimate look at grief found in the heart of war. Metronews.ca. Retrieved on 2010-11-26.
- ^ Interview: The Messenger's Oren Moverman. Ioncinema.Com (2009-11-11). Retrieved on 2010-11-26.
- ^ "The Messenger". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 7, 2010.
- ^ "The Messenger". MetaCritic. Retrieved December 14, 2009.
- ^ Golden Globes Nominations Are Revealed. Empireonline.com. Retrieved on 2010-11-26.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Metacritic: 2009 Film Critic Top Ten Lists". Metacritic. Retrieved 2010-01-05.[dead link]
