Part way through I began to feel the story was a bit slow moving, maybe a little flat. I realized this is not an indictment of the film, but of Americans' movie going habits. Everything these days is a blockbuster - LOTS of action, tons of special effects, one- dimensional super hero characters. Megan Leavey is a quiet, understated film about real life and real people, and they are not always pleasant, exciting or interesting. If you like your war heroes shiny, perfect and larger than life - this film will not be for you. Megan Leavey is about a flawed, troubled, not very likable young woman who joins the Marines with no heroic idealism - she is just looking for an escape from her miserable life - made so very much by her own doing. And Rex is not Lassie. There is no instant, feel-good bond between a girl and her dog. Rather, the story illustrates the importance of showing up - taking one step at a time, and that with hard work and patience - redemption and second chances are possible. Not an easy feel-good film but worth the effort, as is true of most important things in life.
Add a Review
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scatswalsh11 June 2017
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8512222 October 2018Greetings from Lithuania.
"Megan Leavey" (2017) is a good movie in short. The first hours was pretty amazing, reminded me of "Hurt Locker" (movie which i love). Later it wasn't so involving or captivating or intense, yet i really enjoyed till the end. Performances were very good by all involved as well it has a good directing.
Overall, "Megan Leavey" is an inspirational story very well told. And if you love dogs, you might pick up some handkerchiefs. -
This weekend is certainly a mixed bag of movies from adventure/fantasy to horror/mystery. So why not throw in a military/biographical/drama into the fray as well, this time portraying a different, and more realistic, female super hero. If you are reading past my confusing opening, (and the title of this review), you know I'm talking about Megan Leavey. With leash, and gun, in hand, this movie is the chronicle of her walk into the life of a hero and the struggles she had to climb over to succeed. What's the verdict? You'll have to read on to find out!
LIKES:
Acting: Kate Mara was a fantastic pick for the lead of this movie. Based on Leavey's history (from the little research I've done), Mara was able to play the emotional rainbow required of this complicated role. The angst of a rebellious young adult is perfectly portrayed, with enough saucy edge to keep things spicy, while only going over the line occasionally. Yet, the real portrayal of her talents is her acting of honor, valor, and trauma that comes with being a real-life hero. You'll feel all the emotional turmoil, or in some cases lack of emotional turmoil, associated with marine life and the sense of duty before self. Many audience members became entangled in all the feelings of the movie, captivating them in the story.
Good Pace: We know that many military dramas are a little long winded, whether in build up or the tail end of the spectrum. Not the case for Megan Leavey. This movie keeps things moving quite well, blending excitement, suspense, and character development in a decently condensed time. The training portion of the movie is funny and heartwarming as bond between dog and human is formed, adequately building what will be the key foundation for the rest of the movie. Once the exciting deployment begins, the tension only surmounts and keeps one further fastened into the movie, constantly reeled in with each ticking minute as they perform their duty. It's engaging! It's exciting! And it is real!
The Dog: Let's face it though, the best part of this movie for most is going to be getting to see the dog or dogs trained to sniff out bombs. Megan Leavey may be a tale about a woman transforming into a hero, but the director also does extraordinary work with the developing the dog's status as a warrior itself. Watching Rex perform all the duties required of him is awesome, feeling like a human actor himself rather than a four-legged accessory. If you think Mara is the emotional lure in the film, then yes you are correct, but that would make Rex the lighthouse of emotions drawing you more into the flame of this movie. Watching Rex with the consistent worry that something will happen is the true suspense of this movie, I myself silently praying he would make it home alive.
DISLIKES:
Movie magic drama: We know that when it comes to describing drama, many films can exaggerate the truth. While I'm not certain how tough Megan's life was, this movie had many moments and characters that felt a little overdramatic to me. I'm not talking about the war aspect, we know that's hell. No, the real overacted moments come in the form of her family life, primarily the interaction with her mom. Eye-rolling moments aside, fans who like these overzealous characters are in for a treat, but it hit some nerves and took away from the movie.
The Final Act: Megan Leavey's film is split into three parts for me and the first two parts are epically put together to keep the film exciting. The third part however, is more on the slower side and not the area I would have spent a great deal of time on. I can't say much without ruining things, but here it goes. This finale is certainly emotional, well designed, and a fine example of character development. However, the pace changes at this part, doesn't focus on the chemistry I fell in love with. Yes, it's emotional, and the parts are well put together, I just wanted a little more time with the dog and woman.
Theater Worthy?: This is a tough component because there is a lot about this movie I like. However, I can't say the movie was really something that needed to be in theaters. With few special effects and stunts, and a story that, while touching, isn't an epic, adventure/book like drama that Hollywood theaters have captured. Instead, this movie would have been solid on the History Channel or a Netflix original movie where you could enjoy it in the comfort of your own home. So, don't behead me people, I'm just trying to save you some money to maximize the quality of the film.
The VERDICT:
Megan Leavey is one of the better military drams I've seen in a while. A fantastic chemistry between man and dog uniting to portray the honor of military service is a leading factor to see this movie. With emotional sequences captured by beautiful cinematography and epic acting, you'll find this at the top of a lot of drama loving lists. Yet, it still lacks some finesse in terms of perfect pace and even more lacks the theater quality effects that make the expensive ticket worthwhile, unless you get the discount show. Still it is a movie worth checking out when you can, to pay tribute to an honorable woman, her dog, and the heroes that are our military.
Biography/Drama/War: 8.5 Movie Overall: 6.5 -
"Megan Leavey" (PG-13, 1:56) is technically a bio-pic about a U.S. Marine serving as an MP during the Iraq War, but what it's really about is that Marine's relationship with her partner, a military working dog named Rex. Throughout history, militaries, such as the Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, Britons, Romans and Americans, used canines in a variety of roles, such as in combat as attack dogs, and as hunters, trackers, searchers, scouts, guards, sentries, messengers, mascots and therapy dogs. Military working dogs in K9 units are assigned a specific handler, with whom the dog bonds, trains, serves and, when necessary, protects. The special relationship between such dogs and their handlers has been portrayed in various forms in movies like 2017's "A Dog's Purpose" and 2015's "Max", which mirrors the real-life story of a dog named Lex, who went to live with the family of his handler after the handler was killed in Iraq. An increasing number of military working dogs are adopted by their handlers after the military deems the dogs' military service complete and retires the dog from active duty, but it hasn't always been that way. "Megan Leavey" is the true story of a U.S. Marine's bond with her dog and her long fight to adopt him.
Megan (Kate Mara) was drifting. After high school, she had no purpose in life. She lived with her mother (Edie Falco) and stepfather (Will Patton), but didn't actually do much of anything, especially after her best friend died from a drug overdose. Seemingly on a whim, Megan joins the Marine Corps. After she completes basic training, she is trained as an MP, but her lack of self-discipline is still a problem and she quickly gets in trouble with her commander. Her punishment (or "corrective training", as the military calls it) is to work for a hard-nosed Marine called Gunny Martin (Common), cleaning out the kennels of the military working dogs. Megan develops an interest in the K9 unit, but she has to convince Gunny Martin of her reliability and dedication, so she is given an ammo can attached to a rope which she is forced to pretend is a dog on a leash that she puts through its paces on a K9 training course. When a handler preparing for deployment is bitten by his dog, Private First Class Leavey is ordered to step in.
With little time left before that scheduled deployment to Iraq, Megan works hard to train up, complete Rex's training and bond with her new partner. Rex is known as a very difficult and aggressive dog, but Megan manages to tame the savage beast and they end up making an effective and respected team while serving in combat. Megan and Rex are called upon to patrol ahead of everyone else in an effort to find IEDs before they can harm American troops. After some success, Megan and Rex get separated. She begins to work tirelessly to find Rex and, ultimately, to get permission to adopt and care for him. In the midst of all this, Megan works through challenging relationships with Gunny Martin, a K9 unit mentor (Tom Felton), a flirty fellow dog handler (Ramon Rodriguez), her clueless mother and stepfather and her birth father (Bradley Whitford), but all the while, Megan's biggest concern is her relationship with Rex.
"Megan Leavey" is a solid and touching, but slight movie. The script by Pamela Gray ("A Walk on the Moon"), Oscar nominee Annie Mumolo ("Bridesmaids") and Tim Lovestedt (co-writing his first film), and the direction of Gabriela Cowperthwaite ("Blackfish"), give us a realistic look at military life and combat deployments, while keeping the focus mainly on the affecting relationship between Megan and Rex. The subplots of Megan's human relationships give us a good picture of who she is as a person and are well-balanced from a story-telling perspective. But in the final analysis, this is still "just" a story about one Marine and one dog, presented as if similar situations had not happened before or since (which they have). The writing, acting and directing are all strong and produce a film which many Movie Fans will appreciate, especially those interested in military life and those who love four-footed heroes. "B" -
Gordon-1131 August 2017This film tells the story of a young female Marine in the United States, who trains and works with a war dog that detects explosives. They work together as a great team, successfully completing many missions. When they get injured during a mission, she fights to adopt him as a pet dog so that the dog does not get put to sleep.
"Megan Leavey" tells a story of a great bond between a woman and a dog that are both very courageous.They have been through so much that it is easy to see why their bond is so particularly strong. The patriotic elements also make the film particularly likable for American viewers. It celebrates a special and intense bond between the female soldier and the war dog, and also celebrates love, courage and war efforts. -
said-buet1011 September 2017This is based on a true story. I mean no disrespect to the actual people but this emotional journey didn't hit me as much as I might have liked it to. The story in reality is without any doubt touching but while watching the movie I got bored multiple times. Kate Mara delivered a solid performance. Her acting is the only thing that kept me going.
I think the directional choice of showing the story in a completely emotional way was a brave choice. Not showing much of the war was interesting. But I had issues with the third act. It felt rushed and incoherent in times. In particular I disliked the way her pursuit for the adoption of the dog was shown. I felt it was done in a very bad way. They director could've done a far better job with that segment.
All in all good acting & an emotional true story but it turned into an average movie in the end. -
blackhawk51507 September 2017I will try to be vague regarding specific plot points, so as not to spoil any surprises, but there really aren't any big plot twists in the movie to begin with. Kate Mara did a good job as the protagonist. I found her portrayal of a Marine K9 handler to be believable. What I found interesting was that the story did not paint the real Megan Leavey in a very complimentary light. The writer's goal might have been to make Leavey out to be a war hero who was driven by the bond with her canine partner, but instead, I came away with the feeling that she was a self-centered, immature handler.
The firefight seemed believable, but a question I'd like to ask some of my coworkers, who were Marines, is how realistic it would be for a squad/ platoon with two up-armored Humvees, with crew served weapons, to run from a fight against 4 or 5 enemy armed with AK's and an RPG? They definitely didn't employ the "Four F's" (Find, Fix, Flank, F...). In the movie Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, there is a far more believable scene depicting a small Marine unit's contact with the enemy. The Marines aggressed the target and overcame the opposition. Maybe the firefight scene in Megan Leavey was based very closely on how it actually went down...but if that's the case, it would surprise me. A bunch of Marines running from contact with a handful of guys who had nothing but a few dirt berms for cover just didn't have a ring of truth to it for me.
I would assume the producers of Megan Leavey had technical advisers. If that was the case, there were a lot of dog handling, and dog training errors. Maybe it was due to poor movie direction, or maybe due to having an actress who is not an actual handler, or maybe Leavey wasn't that great a handler. It could be any number of reasons. But from the perspective of someone who was a K9 handler for 6 years, the character did many things through the movie that had me scratching my head...I mean totally rookie mistakes...and the result was a less believable movie in those areas.
In closing, I would like to have given the movie a 7, as it provoked a lot of emotional reaction in me (fancy way for saying my eyes were not always dry). But in retrospect, I think a lot of that was due to knowing first hand the bond that a handler and their partner form. My guy saved my life and the lives of others as well, so some scenes were quite emotional. The reason I had to lower my rating to a 6 is that I think without my personal background on the subject, some of those scenes were a little too wooden. -
I really enjoyed this film. It explores the emotional bond between an animal and a human being.
The film is based on the true story of marine corporal who forms a unique bond with a bomb-sniffing dog. Megan Leavey (Kate Mara) enlists to get away from what seems to be a hopeless civilian life. She is an aimless young woman with a deadbeat mom, Jackie (Edie Falco). Megan struggles to fit in as a Marine and, after a disciplinary hearing due to misappropriate behavior, is caught urinating outside of the Provost office after a night of drinking. She is assigned to clean up the K- 9 unit under the command of Gunny Martin (Common). Gunny Martin is a commander who uses tough love while being a mentor.
My favorite scene in the movie is when Megan finds out that she will get a dog to train and it turns out to be a can. It seems that newbies practice training a dog with a can. It is a bit humorous but shows Megan's determination to get a real dog. Megan bonds with an aggressive German shepherd name Rex and is given the opportunity to train him. Megan and Rex end up completing more than 100 missions, but an IED explosion injures them both and puts their fate in jeopardy.
Megan Leavey has lots of wartime violence, strong language and intense themes including trauma and grief. It also shows the strength of women and their accomplishments while not focusing on the brutality of war. This is an inspiring film that I believe is most suited for ages 13 to 18 as well as some adults. I give this film 5 out of 5 stars. It opens nationwide June 9, 2017 so, be sure to go see it and learn what happens to Megan and Rex.
Reviewed by Juanita Seon L. KIDS FIRST! Adult Juror. -
SnoopyStyle11 February 2018Megan Leavey (Kate Mara) is a young aimless woman haunted by a loss and fighting with her mother (Edie Falco). She decides to join the Marines. She gets punishment to clean out the canine pens. She is inspired to join the unit and paired with troubled Rex. They are sent to Iraq.
This has a solid true-life story. It is standardized uplift. The Iraq section is the most compelling which is reminiscent of The Hurt Locker. There are some heart-pumping scenes. Then it changes into something else when she returns to America. There are plenty of good issues like PTSD and the military's treatment of their veteran canines. This is solid inspiring military film. -
Impman221 September 2018Love this film. It hits the nail on the head with it's portrayal of the relationship between a dog and it's human friend.Brought tears to my eyes.
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eddie_baggins26 August 2018There's a time and a place for film's such as Megan Leavey and while this often sappy and Lifestyle like film never reaches great heights or surprises, there's joys to be found in this true life tale that will make you walk away from it with a smile on your face.
Released direct to home video here in Australia after a low-key but well received release in the USA in the middle of 2017, Megan Leavey examines the life and times of its title character, who in the midst of a young-life crisis enlisted into the American Marines and found herself a calling as a combat dog/front line operator who struck up a deep bond and friendship with her German Shepard companion Rex.
It's the type of tale that is perfect for the US market, showcasing the best of what the marines can do for those that apply themselves and work hard at achieving the best they can do for their country and for dog lovers, Megan Leavey is the type of experience that will have them giving their doggo some extra treats and pats in the aftermath of this human interest tale.
Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite handles things well and while a clear victim of a lower budget than is to be expected from usual fare such as this, Megan Leavey brings us into the action as Megan and Rex make a step from training to the front line and enter into the ground war that would make them both famous faces of the war in Iraq.
Key also to Megan Leavey's ability to be constantly engaging without blowing minds is the commitment of lead actress Kate Mara who is as good as she's ever been as Leavey and her comradery with her four-legged on-screen companion will pull at the heart-strings and give you those always sought after warm and fuzzies. From their initial frosty relationship to fully fledged friendship between human and animal, Megan Leavey captures the special bond between the two American combatants that captured the hearts of a nation.
Final Say -
Megan Leavey pulls no surprise punches and plays out to the well-worn playbook of similar film's but that doesn't stop it from becoming and always watchable and proficiently made feel good tale that reminds us all that in the midst of war, special friendship and incredible tales of bravery are the tales that will live on.
3 cans on a leash out of 5 -
OneAnjel24 October 2022I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Allowing Military dogs to retire with their trainer, especially when such a bond has formed, is something many have fought for. If you haven't seen Dog yet, you'll enjoy that film, too. I wasn't aware of Leavey's story before and I'm glad I stumbled upon this gem. And be warned, there is some very realistic Iraq scenes. But I wonder why Mara was cast as Leavey with a full 12 inch difference between the actress and the real thing. It feels very sexist. And honestly, I initially thought it was the same actress that plays Starlight in The Boys, which really threw me.
I know a few military dogs and I happen to know they can drag you through a car wash without batting an eye. There's no way someone 5'2, 110 lbs would have been given an 85 lb out of control German Shepherd. That part of the film is so unbelievable unless you know that Leavey is actually 6'2 and probably more like 175 lbs. I also find it extremely difficult to believe that someone training to be a handler would have to learn literally in the field that you can not reveal the name of your dog to the locals -- it's one of the well-known ways insurgents attempt to kill or capture a bomb-sniffing dog. True Marine training is very precise and focused -- are they saying these jokers forgot to tell her or that she was too preoccupied to pay attention? There's a lot we won't know for sure, but even the Army has that on a check-list, not an afterthought in the field.
I like that the film really focused on that relationship but felt a little cheated that we didn't get a sense of the passage of time. She goes from Boot to Corporal without any mention, and the film acts as though she fell off the recruit bus and started cleaning stalls. Actually, she completed 2 trainings before choosing to go to the K9 training camp, and the bombing took place on their 2nd tour in Iraq.
I also dislike that the film calls the dog 'real sick' when he simply had some facial numbness, apparently from his injuries from the bomb, that prevented him from continuing to serve in the Military. However, a little research reveals that once Megan adopted Rex, they worked as a bomb-sniffing team in NY. They also fail to mention that the reason Leavey was not able to be given Rex's location during their long separation was because he was on POTUS detail.
Overall, a heartwarming film that's worth the watch. But if you're like me and you know way too much was left out, just do a little research.
As a side note, any review that starts with a synopsis of the film gets a dislike from me. I don't come here to re-read an outline of the story 30 times. We just want to know what you thought of the film. We already know the actors and read the synopsis, if not already saw the film. -
iquine6 July 2018(Flash Review)
Based on the true story of Meagan Leavey and her trusty bomb locating dog Max. This is more than a typical American patriotic war movie, it is a movie for dog lovers. You follow the life of how Meagan got into service, into the bomb locating K9 unit and what events lead her to become so attached to her dog partner. It had a nice buildup with fairly engaging drama and battle scenes and light romantic sub story, all with quality production value. Most importantly seeing how much effort she put in trying to take ownership of the dog after they both put in their time was basically the 3rd act and arguably was rushed of underdeveloped at times. Another moderately interesting and unique story in the war/drama category. -
tk-williamson9 September 2017Military movies should always be dead-on accurate when it comes to all the little details and this was another "this is what most Americans think is how the military acts" as opposed to the reality. I know they have consultants - so they do this on purpose I am forced to conclude. The Hollywood explosion where Megan and the dog go flying through the air, literally flying through the air, just made my eyes roll. That kind of force blows off limbs and is instant death. Also, it was apparent to me that there was no chemistry or "bonding" between Megan and that beautiful dog, but there was chemistry with the handler who was always obviously just off camera. I found the acting of most of the cast, except Kate Mara, to be very wooden and painful to watch. I admit I did not finish the movie - too frustrated and annoyed with how ridiculously bad it was. Hey, great cinematography and sound though - thumbs up on that!
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My wife and I watched this at home on DVD from a Redbox rental.
Megan Leavy is a New Yorker, and a Yankees fan. Her mom and dad had split up, as a teenager she seemed mostly aimless. She worked in small jobs but wasn't motivated. One day she walked past a recruiting office for the US Marines and on a whim joined up. She made it through basic training but still was aimless. Until a misdemeanor got her a nasty work detail, cleaning the dog kennels.
Kate Mara is very effective as Megan Leavey in this mostly quiet movie. Yes, there are scenes simulating the conflict in Iraq in the early 2000s, necessary to establish what Megan and Rex went through, but a large part is what happens to her when she gets home.
During her work detail she became determined to be a dog handler, doing extra running and other physical training, gaining the "expert" rating with a rifle. She finally got the chance and did a tour with her dog, becoming very effective at sniffing out bombs and weapons cache's. Plus receiving the Purple Heart.
Th resolution of the story was the difficult fight against the bureaucracy to enable her to adopt her dog upon his retirement. A thrust of her story is to "never give up" fighting for what you want.
Good story and very well presented. -
Boristhemoggy5 January 2023I like Kate Mara and I am a dog lover so when I spotted this I had to watch it. But I was expecting some shmultz. I'm very pleased to say the shmultz was minimal but the emotion and entertainment was vey high.
Firstly it highlights the animals we press into work for us, even if that work involves danger. Obviously they can't consent, and obviously the military do try to train and protect their dogs as much as possible. But it's important to remember the dogs undergo all this because they are bound by love to humans.
It also shows the bonds that can be made between two species, without a common language, and yet an ability to understand each other clearly and coherently. Those bonds supersede any danger the animal may be in. We trust them to do their job and they trust us to look after them and make them happy.
Based on true events this is a great insight into soldiers as brothers, whatever the species of the soldier, and the things they do for one another. -
The storyline is all there for this movie, but it's really lacking punch and doesn't engage the audience. It also doesn't portray much of a bond between Megan and her dog Rex. I even watched it a second time to try and give it another chance, but for me it was kinda dissapointing
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andershenningsen18 October 2018An extremely awesome film about the perfect couple in the Iraq war. A Marine and her dog in the war. A bond that only few are allowed to experience and feel.
I say it is a "Must See" -
alanharper23 August 2017As promised, I will keep this simple. If you are a dog lover, don't mind shedding a tear (I'm a 38 year old male former enforcement officer, it got me) you will enjoy this movie. Simples.
It has been broken into three parts, first is a build up of character for Leavey, second is the relationship between Leavey and Rex in Iraq, third is the "fight". Some people are saying the third part was a bit of a let down, but, personally, i was happy with it. I did not realise I had been watching the film for its run time thinking it still must have a while to go at the credits. Always a good sign. -
simonevans-065009 September 2017Such a shame that such a rewarding and courageous story , was let down by a muddling of events regarding the return of Max and the discharge of Megan from the Marines. Whilst I appreciate the harrowing awfulness of the combat experience , I found it immensely disappointing she did not return to Iraq with Max after the had both recuperated , and thus the rest of the story was meaningless to me. As a lifelong dog owner , I could not understand how she could let Max return to the war zone without going along to look after him , as she spent the whole second half of the movie demonstrating how much she loved and cared for him , and how he could not work any more,nor cope in the field. This contradiction of her her so called devotion to the dog made the movie very weak , almost pointless. A true Hero would have returned regardless of his/her feelings and problems to save a loved one.
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ThomasDrufke25 February 2018Although I have gotten emotional over films with dogs as a central part of the film before, Megan Leavey is the first canine centric film I've watched since I became a dog owner myself, and it became an extremely moving experience.
There's no denying an impact a dog can have on someone's life. For Corporal Megan Leavey, it was the military K-9 German Shepherd, Rex, who changed her life. The film covers many years of Leavey's time as a K-9 officer with Rex as they save lives uncovering bombs and other dangerous explosives. There are some typical military sequences that set up Leavey as a sort of, mess-up and misplaced character, but for the most part, the film is a unique and inspired take on one section of the military.
Complemented by a solid supporting cast, the real heroes here are Leavey and Rex. Like any great relationship, there are ups and downs. But there are a few indicators that the bond they share isn't something that can be easily quantified, and that made it truly special. Sometimes people are made for each other and sometimes certain dogs are made for certain people. It's just the way it is.
Kate Mara plays Leavey brilliantly, as she so often does with characters. She's one of these under the radar actresses who always seems to bring their A-game. And if not for the fact that I was looking for a movie about a dog, I probably would have forgotten about watching these trailers last summer. The film itself flew under the radar, but I'm sure glad I checked it out.
8.8/10 -
untilnow9923 September 2017I liked this movie, mostly.
Two things I found) that kind of bugged me about this film (the first of which an earlier reviewer made note of also) was the fact that "Rex" was so obviously reacting solely to cues from his handler---the handler being just off camera. Maybe I'm being too picky, but I was sorry to see that Kate Mara and "Rex" had so little chance to interact naturally.
The second thing is a bit silly, perhaps, and I am wondering if anyone else noticed this: Where the heck is Rex (and where is "Bruno") in the credits? I tried to find Rex's real name in the movie credits, on IMDb and elsewhere online and could only find "Movie Dog." Is this kind of weird over-protective identity concealment really necessary?
I don't think I've seen any animal-starring movies in the past few decades wherein the animal actors weren't credited. Call me crazy, but I'd kind of like to know what Rex is called in real life. "Rex" is definitely a gorgeous and accomplished actor, I must say, and I would like to see more of him. It would be nice to know "who" he is. Are we going to see him in any other movies? -
Woodyanders24 January 2019Aimless and disaffected young lass Megan Leavey (an excellent and affecting performance by Kate Mara) decides to join the Marines. While in boot camp Megan meets and becomes close with a temperamental German Shepherd named Rex who's trained to sniff out explosives. They pair are eventually deployed to Iraq and get wounded in battle. Upon returning home Megan gets separated from Rex and must fight the system to gain the right to adopt him.
Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite wisely uses a spot-on simple and efficient style to relate the compelling and uplifting story while also trusting the poignancy intrinsic to said story to basically do its job without ever forcing the sentiment at any given point in the narrative. Moreover, the tight and trusting relationship between Megan and Rex gives this film a really big, sweet, and moving heart, with Megan learning to become a better and more complete person through both being a Marine and especially because of her love and devotion to Rex.
The arduous training sequences cover in fascinating detail all the work that goes into preparing these dogs for their special services overseas while the scenes of Megan and Rex performing their duties in Iraq are quite tense and harrowing. The sound acting by the capable cast rates as another substantial asset: Eddie Falco as Megan's disapproving mother Jackie, Ramon Rodriguez as the easygoing Cpl. Matt Morales, Common as the hard-nosed, yet compassionate Gunny Martin, Tom Felton as seasoned trainer Sergeant Andrew Dean, and Bradley Whitford as Megan's concerned and supportive father Bob. Kudos are also in order Mark Isham's spare moody score and Lorenzo Senatore's crisp widescreen cinematography. An on the money little winner. -
Really like the story, not that convinced of the military vibe the story was engulfed in. Rapper Common, who plays Leavey's CO,is a guy with a persona that says authority, but not fully convince of the military swagger he and everyone else is supposed to have in the film. Did not gel with me.
But that's just me nick picking. Altogether the movie was a great story, very touching film. I think It said a lot about Megan Leavey and her relationship with her dog Rex in the Air force's k-9 division.
Not a sports movie but you get that same feeling of accomplishment at the end when she tries to adopt the dog.
I liked it.
http://cinemagardens.com -
catwoman166816 September 2017I have been looking forward to renting this movie for months. I must say that I am horribly disappointed. The subject matter is great. Who doesn't love true stories especially when they include heroism and animals? The problem is that the movie lacks in the area of heart and soul. I feel most movies these days lack that. Maybe I'm just old, but in my day, movies like these had more character and spirit and so did the actors.
I personally felt like the dialog was boring, the story line was boring, the acting was boring, and the pace was slow. Lack luster. I was bored 85% of the time. Only when there was a scene where there was bombing and shooting did I feel something.....startled out of my coma probably.
Most of all, the acting was awful and utterly unmemorable.