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I loved this movie. Although I grew up in Buffalo, I attended college at UVA in the early 70’s and had fraternity brothers from Franklin County, VA. Rural Virginians are fiercely loyal, and hold traditions and principles in very high esteem. The actors in Lawless perfectly portrayed the tight family ethos of the region, and accurately conveyed how “kinfolk” band together to fight hostile outsiders. I’m surprised this movie didn’t get more acclaim. It’s a real gem.

Superb show depicting the best of the Greatest Generation. Based on the true exploits of a WWII Army regiment in Europe. Terrific character development, acting, and realistic action scenes. Five 👍 👍👍👍👍 P.S. I just read the “professional” reviews. Robert Daniels (U Chicago Masters in English...clearly a streetwise guy) says it’s “just another movie about a white male officer.” Really Bobby? You know anybody in the military? Ever read a history book between English critical race theory courses? FDR presided over a racially segregated military. Fact not fiction. The star of this movie embraces and unifies a very diverse group of Hispanics, American Indians, and white City boys to make them into a team. He is to be lauded, not snidely dismissed. This movie is based on true events. I only served in Army ROTC, never active duty since the Vietnam War active duty deployment ended during my 2nd year in college. My older brothers served - one a Naval officer, the other a decorated (Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars, 4 Legions of Merit) retired 30 year Army Colonel with 2 Vietnam Army combat infantry tours. His 2 sons were Captains in the Army Rangers and 82 Airborne, respectively, during the Gulf War I era. My 2 older brothers-in-law were Army and Marine lieutenants, respectively, during Vietnam. A nephew on my wife’s side is an active duty Green Beret Sergeant with 2 Afghanistan tours. Men like these and the characters in this movie are heroes. Period. Leave your barista coffee houses sometime and chat with vets who come from military families. Then rewatch The Liberator and rewrite your review. This was a superb series portraying men we should adulate, not denigrate. You don’t get it.

This was billed as a comedy. I didn’t see it that way. I viewed Brad Pitt’s General McCrystal portrayal as probably pretty realistic. I’ve heard the General speak at two major business events. He is a highly intelligent, principled, gentleman warrior. Highly respected across the military and political spectrum. I have several family members who served (I was only 2 years Army ROTC at the end of the Vietnam War, ended before I graduated), but I know the military mindset. The actors were a tad over the top but not unduly so. The soldier bond is a tight one. Their sense of honor and duty high. Three best scenes: 1) McCrystal and his wife’s poignant and bittersweet anniversary dinner in Paris, his wife citing their minimal contact since 9-11 attacks but saying how proud she was of him. The spouses have it the worst. 2) The scene where Obama demanded McCrystal leave crucial Paris NATO negotiations to meet with him, then blew him off on the tarmac saying he was too busy to talk with him. No apology. Pitt’s face contorted in anger when Obama left and walked up Air Force One’s steps, but he said nothing. Great personification of the true disdain Obama held the military in. He spoke to McCrystal once during his time in Afghanistan. The comments McCrystal’s staff made about the Obama Administration inattention were accurate.....but still inappropriate since officers cannot criticize the Commander-in-Chief in public. 3) Final scene where Brad Pitt reads the Rolling Stone magazine article silently. His staff starts angrily shouting at each other, laying blame on others on the staff (McCrystal in real life was never cited since he made no inappropriate comments to the press; his staff did). McCrystal finishes the article, drops the paper, turns to his staff and says: “It’s obvious I’m through. I’m going to see the President. Let’s be kind to each other.” The staff officers immediately become silent, turn away, and tear up knowing the General’s career is over, and it was their fault. McCrystal resigned because the actions of a senior officer’s men and staff are his responsibility, good or bad. McCrystal realized he should have told his men in no uncertain terms that they were not to share personal opinions about the Administration’s conduct of the war with a reporter. All in all, solid acting and a very human portrayal of General McCrystal by Brad Pitt. The real General McCrystal is a deeply intellectual, complex man. Pitt’s character was more one dimensional, but accurately portrayed the fierce loyalty troops in combat have for an inspirational commander like McCrystal.