THE MESSENGER

Year: 2009
USA: Oscilloscope Laboratories
UK: The Works UK Distribution
Cast: Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Jena Malone, Eamonn Walker, Yaya DaCosta, Portia, Lisa Joyce, Steve Buscemi, Peter Francis James, Paul Diomede, Jahmir Duran-Abreau, Gaius Charles, Brendan Sexton III
Director: Oren Moverman
Country: USA
USA: 105 mins
UK: 112 mins
USA Rated: R for language and some sexual content/nudity
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language and sex
USA Release Date: 13 November 2009 (Limited Release)
UK Release Date: 17 June 2011


Synopsis

Award-winning screenwriter Oren Moverman (I'M NOT THERE, MARRIED LIFE) makes his feature directorial debut with THE MESSENGER which is co-written by Moverman and Alessandro Camon.

A powerful and tender story about a returned war hero making his first steps towards a normal life, THE MESSENGER stars Ben Foster in his first leading role, as Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery. A US Army officer, he has just returned home from a tour in Iraq and is assigned to the Army's Casualty Notification service. Along with fellow officer Capt Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) their role is to bear the bad news to the loved ones of fallen soldiers.

Will faces the challenge of completing his mission while seeking to find comfort and healing back on the home front. When he finds himself drawn to Olivia (Samantha Morton), to whom he has just delivered the news of her husband's death, Will's emotional detachment begins to dissolve and the film reveals itself as a surprising, humorous, moving and very human portrait of grief, friendship and survival.

THE MESSENGER premiered at 2009 Sundance Film Festival and won the Silver Bear award for Best Screenplay and the Peace Film Award at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival.