Jarhead (2005)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Sam Mendes

Writers (WGA):

William Broyles Jr. (screenplay)
Anthony Swofford (book)

Release Date:

4 November 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | War

Tagline:

Every man fights his own way.

Plot:

Based on former Marine Anthony Swofford's best-selling 2003 book about his pre-Desert Storm experiences in Saudi Arabia and about his experiences fighting in Kuwait.

Plot Keywords:

Oil Field | Airplane | Accidental Killing | Reading | Pep Talk

Awards:

1 win & 9 nominations

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Anthony Swofford
Scott MacDonald	...	D.I. Fitch
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Alan Troy
Jamie Foxx	...	Staff Sgt. Sykes
Lo Ming	...	Bored Gunny (as Ming Lo)
Lucas Black	...	Chris Kruger
Kevin Foster	...	Branded Marine
Brian Geraghty	...	Fergus O'Donnell
Damion Poitier	...	Poitier
Riad Galayini	...	Nurse
Craig Coyne	...	Young Mr. Swofford
Katherine Randolph	...	Young Mrs. Swofford
Rini Bell	...	Swoff's Sister
Dendrie Taylor	...	Mrs. Swofford
James Morrison	...	Mr. Swofford

Also Known As:

Jarhead - Willkommen im Dreck (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive language, some violent images and strong sexual content.

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English | Spanish | Arabic | Latin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:14A (Manitoba) | UK:15 | Finland:K-15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Ireland:16 | Germany:12 | Australia:MA | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Czech Republic:12 | Brazil:16 | France:U | Portugal:M/16 | Sweden:11 | Mexico:C | Hong Kong:III | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16 | Iceland:16 | Singapore:M18 (cut) | Malaysia:18PL (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (edited version) | Netherlands:12 | Philippines:R-18 (MTRCB) | USA:R (certificate #42072) | Norway:15 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Japan:R-15

Filming Locations:

Brawley, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Some desert scenes were also shot on a Universal sound stage with lights doubling as burning oil wells. The lights were later replaced with burning wells courtesy of ILM.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The "Abrams" tanks we see in one of the scenes are fake: the number of road wheels is incorrect (6 instead of 7).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Anthony 'Swoff' Swofford: A story: A man fires a rifle for many years, and he goes to war. And afterward he turns the rifle in at the armory, and he believes he's finished with the rifle. But no matter what else he might do with his hands, love a woman, build a house, change his son's diaper; his hands remember the rifle.

Movie Connections:

References Tank Girl (1995)

Soundtrack:

Ride of the Valkyries

Every War Movie is Different. Every War Movie is the Same.

More than anyone, I would imagine that U.S. Soldiers would have a more specific opinion of this film than anyone else. They were there, they were in it, no one knows better than they.

And there are two kinds of soldiers: those who loved it, who took great pride and honor in serving their country... and those who saw it as just a job, got out, and got on with their lives. "Jarhead" is based on a book, written by a U.S. Marine, who falls squarely into the second category.

He does not judge, he does not come out as for or against the war. This is not a political movie, yet will still make some people uncomfortable, and it should. "Jarhead" lays out the experience of one particular Marine from boot camp, to (suddenly) Operation Desert Shield, to Operation Desert Storm. What happens here is not always pretty, but it is the truth, and the truth should be all we can ask for.

The screenplay was adapted by William Broyles Jr., who in addition to some TV work, adapted the recent "Planet of the Apes" remake, and "Cast Away." Personally, I didn't think either of these films were anything special, which is why "Jarhead" is such a surprise. Not a lot blows up, there's no huge siege like in your typical Vietnam movie... it's a surprisingly affecting study of this one man, the experiences he had, the people he knew. It's about the Corps, and it's about brotherhood. Our main character, Swof, never judges, never mentions politics, is only the best Marine that he knows how to be.

As Swof's friend Troy says at one point, "F*** politics. We're here. All the rest is bull****." Which is all the movie is about, really. This is what happened. Take it or leave it.