The War at Home is a 1996 American drama war film directed by and starring, and co-produced by Emilio Estevez. The film also stars Kathy Bates and Martin Sheen. Writer James Duff adapted his 1984 play Homefront.
| The War at Home | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Emilio Estevez |
| Written by | James Duff |
| Based on | Homefront by James Duff |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Peter Levy |
| Edited by | Craig Bassett |
| Music by | Basil Poledouris |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Pictures Distribution |
Release date |
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Running time | 123 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $3 million |
| Box office | $44,722 |
Plot
editJeremy Collier is a returning Vietnam War hero whose experiences leave him unable to adjust to the quiet realities of small-town life. Bob Collier, Jeremy's father, expects his son to go back to his life as it was, without understanding the problems of PTSD. Jeremy's mother, Maurine, treats him "like he's a 10-year-old," and seems to think he should forget about his war experiences. His sister Karen is more understanding of his readjustment problems, but their father doesn't want her to help her brother.
When the family's Thanksgiving celebration occurs Jeremy refuses to put on his "nice" clothes and instead decides to wear his combat uniform and medal. At the conclusion of the Thanksgiving celebration, Jeremy pulls his handgun on his father and his family, explaining the hate he feels for his father because he would not lend Jeremy money to leave the country to escape the draft.
Cast
edit- Kathy Bates as Maurine Collier
- Martin Sheen as Bob Collier
- Kimberly Williams as Karen Collier
- Emilio Estevez as Jeremy Collier
- Carla Gugino as Melissa
- Lane Smith as Majoree's husband
- Corin Nemec as Donald
- Ann Hearn as Professor Tracey
- Penelope Allen as Majoree
Production
editThe film was made for $3 million, following a deal Estevez cut with Disney (who would later under-promote the film) to appear in D3: The Mighty Ducks, and was distributed by Touchstone Pictures.[1] The soundtrack is faithful to the time period, using music from artists such as Buffalo Springfield, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Singer Jena Kraus is featured singing a folk version of the song "Me and Bobby McGee".[2]
Release
editThe film was released in theatres on November 20, 1996. It was a box office failure, grossing only $43,000.[3]
Home media
editThe film was released on DVD in the US in September 2002.[4]
Reception
editThe film received mixed reviews. Rotten Tomatoes reports a 60% approval rating based on 15 reviews, with an average score of 5.83/10.[5]
Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a B− and said, "The Vietnam-flashback material doesn’t resonate as sharply as it did when screenwriter James Duff first presented this as a stage play in 1984. But with Sheen doing a nice turn as a bewildered Dad and Kathy Bates such a nerve-rattling force as the kill-em-with-cleanliness mother, the agonized family dynamics are effectively awful."[6] Stephen Holden of The New York Times remarked how familiar the premise was, but that the film "still finds moments of wrenching sadness in its microscopic examination of an all-American family torn apart by the Vietnam War," and praised the performances and themes.[7]
References
edit- ^ Savlov, Marc (May 16, 1997). "The War at Home". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
- ^ "Songs from The War at Home". www.sweetsoundtrack.com. Retrieved 2022-07-24.
- ^ "The War at Home (1996)". Box Office Mojo. 1996-12-17. Retrieved 2017-01-12.
- ^ The War at Home DVD (Estevez), retrieved 2022-07-24
- ^ "The War at Home". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ Schwarzbaum, Lisa (December 13, 1996). "The War at Home". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2017-01-12.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (November 22, 1996). "The Long Reach of War, Tearing Up a Family". The New York Times. Retrieved January 12, 2017.