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American Son is directed by Neil Abramson and stars
Nick Cannon, Melonie Diaz and Matt O'Leary. ***
The film follows a 19-year-old soldier who returns home
to Bakersfield following his attending the Marine Corps
Boot Camp. Our young hero faces telling his friends and
family of his deployment to the war zone of Iraq, while
dealing with a difficult life upon his return. At home,
before his being deployed, he falls in love – but finds
himself faced with the crisis that he might not make it
back from the war alive.
*** Like so many others, I am sick at the onslaught
of “war in Iraq” movies that have flooded the industry in
the last 6 years or so. But American Son is different, and
perhaps most importantly, a pretty damn good movie. ***
Let me start by saying the film immediately scores
major points with this reviewer for not taking a side in
the whole war issue. This is a character drama set amidst
the war, not the other way around. It’s a movie that deals
with one young man’s personal hell both at home and abroad,
not a glaring anti-war propaganda film that points its fingers
at a scapegoat.
*** The actors in American Son bring the drama to life
like few others could. I won’t lie, I had never been a huge
fan of Nick Cannon prior to this film. He immediately shatters
any past doubts I had about his abilities just minutes into
the film. This is his story and he plays this character
realistic and believable enough to make the story work.
The supporting cast is equally good, and every second of
the drama is authentic. ---
Image and Sound:
This is a good DVD transfer that reflects what the
crew was trying to accomplish with the film. It has a gritty
and realistic feel to it, appropriate for the drama that
ensues. Audio quality is generally front-heavy but comes
to life in more than a few scenes. All in all, this is a
very fine transfer.
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