Thank You For Your Service ( dir. Jason Hall)

Perhaps the most commendable trait about Jason Hall’s superb war film, Thank You For Your Service, is its ability to concentrate solely on it’s characters humanity and their struggles with their mental health and not delve into the political undertones of American independence in Iraq.

Adapted by Hall (who wrote and was nominated for his scribe on American Sniper), we are presented with three returning American servicemen, Adam Schuman (Miles Teller), Solo Aieti (Beulah Koale) & Joe Cole (Billy Wailer) – who return to their hometown in rural Kansas after serving lengthy terms in Iraq. It begins with the enigmatic Teller, building on his charismatic turns in Whiplash and Bleed for This, with a voiceover proclaiming “I was a good soldier” – peaking our interest in his newfound cynicism to the military - we are presented with separate accounts of the men return to civilian life interspersed with footage of a relating incident returning to American soil.

But here’s a story which is more than a simple account of adjusting to life back in America after being at war: it’s a story about three men’s fight with PTSD, and it’s a detailed and delicately handled examination of the three men’s willingness to accept their pain and deal with the consequences of their actions. As the leader of the contingent, Teller makes it his priority to take care of his men much like he did when in Iraq. Things don’t go easily though, as Billy (Joe Cole) returns home to find his fiancé and his small child have moved out without word after a lengthy absence and his reactions to the abandonment say a lot of the character of a man who dealt with unspeakable acts of terror on a daily basis whilst on tour.

Where the film strives is in the bromance of Adam and Solo, who seem so different in their countenance and demeanour but both harbour strong acts of guilt around the death of a fellow servicemen. Supporting the men are their wives, and though a rather thankless role, Saiska Schuman (Hailey Bennett) and Alea (Keisha Castle-Hughes) are attempting to understand the pain and vindication that their husbands are going through for the sake of their families. It’s a difficult subject matter to interepret, and if you haven’t served in the military or known of a family member who has, you might feel you couldn’t understand the torment our characters feel. When they finally decide to get help, the social political elements of the film come to fruition; as there trip to Department of Veteran Affairs is nothing more than a bureaucratic road-stop in their willingness to medicate their psychological distress.

The performances all around are excellent, and are particular integral to the tone of the film as Hall enjoys wrapping the camera around our characters emotions. A particular poignant scene with Solo, who visits a dog-fighting ring to buy drugs, is handled expertly by the New Zealand born actor, as he portrays an equal amount of shame and desperation at his debilitating mental health.

It’s a fairly straight-forward approach from Hall, and it doesn’t equate to much more than following around the men as they are forced to handle their problems on their own. As well as this, an incident which plagues all of the men is constantly referred to and only revealed toward the end of the film and isn’t perhaps as resonant as it could be, but there’s much more here than in the average Hollywood production of PTSD veterans and I found myself more engaged with the drama as it progressed.

Rating; 3/5.