HONOR IN THE VALLEY OF TEARS

RYAN: Honor in the Valley of Tears is a new, emotional documentary about a chunk of US soldiers in the Vietnam War.

CAROLINE: Excuse you? This has no theatrical release as yet. Why are you telling me this and how did you happen to see it? You don’t even like war movies.

RYAN: It’s true I detest war movies and I like war documentaries even less; however, this one happens to be directed by a friend of mine: Eric Dow.

CAROLINE: Zoo bah dee doo dop Dow!

RYAN: [laughs’ Exactly! And this movie’s garnering great buzz among the film festival circuit and might even get distribution theatrically or on cable… so I wanted to be supportive and view it.

CAROLINE: Fair enough. How was it?

RYAN: It’s very well done. I was actually impressed by Eric – he can make a movie!

CAROLINE: You’re a little biased. But break it down for me.

RYAN: Well the star of the movie is the story and the access he had as a director to these guys who were over there in Vietnam, retelling some of the craziest, sickest and yet true tales I’ve ever heard… it’s unbelievable, like “Oh! The humanity!” you know?

CAROLINE: I’m sure I don’t.

RYAN: There’s this one guy, the Sergeant, who I swear the character Jack Nicholson played in A Few Good Men could have been based on, and he’s a war hero and just insanely tough, good and bad.

CAROLINE: Cool. And the other people in it?

RYAN: They were very emotional – and understandably so. But there’s just something to watching these big, brave men break down and cry telling their stories… the kind of men you know never cry just going for it.

CAROLINE: That is different, for sure.

RYAN: Even the moments while watching that I thought, “Oh God, whatever…” and I’d try to zone out, I’d hear something so crazy that would suck me back in so the story is very compelling. And while I appreciate it as an important American story and an important story for history and the world, it’s still not the kind of entertainment I want to escape to for 90 minutes.

CAROLINE: At least it was only 90 minutes. And not all documentaries have to entertain; some are educational, etc.

RYAN: I know. And I definitely have a better understanding of how these soldiers killed and why they came home with nightmares and such. They all had to compartmentalize much of their lives.

CAROLINE: That’s human nature, honey.

— BOTTOM LINE —

RYAN: It’s a very well made doc about an historic moment in world history. The lighting is great. The score is terrific. And it’s cool these men had the chance to share their stories before they kicked it. I’m giving it the “Choose Your Own Adventure” rating because it’s really up to you if you like war stories or not. But since I’m biased – if you’re in LA this weekend check out its upcoming screening.

— RATING —