Why You Should Watch the 1994 Movie, ‘The War’
‘The War’ is a movie by director John Avnet (who also directed the movie ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’). It stars Kevin Costner, Elijah Wood, and Mare Winningham. It is a bit of a hidden gem and is absolutely worth watching.
It is about a Vietnam war veteran Stephen Simmons (Kevin Costner), who is grappling with posttraumatic stress disorder while also trying to hold down a job and take care of his family. His two children (Stu and Lidia) and their friends are trying to build a tree fort. The children are waging a mini-war against a neighboring family of disruptive children, the Lipnickis.
These are some of the reasons why you should watch this movie:
1. The performances
All the actors have performed brilliantly. Even the young actors, who outnumber the adults, have emoted so beautifully. We, the audience, feel all their struggles and their sorrows and rejoice in their wins.
2. The dialogue
The film is based in a small town in the American South. The slow southern accent, especially heard from the mouths of the little actors, is a joy to listen to.
For example, the littlest Lipnicki child, Billy, says to his siblings:
“Well, you can cut off every hair on my head, but I ain’t tellin’ you ding-diddly-ding-diddly-ding-dang-dong!”
3. The character of Stephen Simmons
Stephen, having experienced the horrors of war, tries to teach his children the importance of self-restraint. Even under extreme provocation, he seldom raises his voice. He is forever trying to do the right thing under the circumstances. Though he is impoverished, he is dignified and classy. The more I watch him, the more I want to be like him.
4. The love and warmth
The Simmons family faces plenty of problems. A lack of love is not one of them. The parents treat their children with love and respect. Despite his mental health issues, Stephen is a loving husband. His wife, Lois, is the breadwinner of the family. She holds two jobs and keeps house, and yet is remarkably devoid of resentment. There are disagreements and arguments now and then, but every family member knows that he/she is loved deeply.
5. Billy
Billy Lipnicki is the youngest of the Lipnicki bunch. He probably has a neurological condition that makes him unfit for the kind of rough play that all his siblings engage in. As a result, he is generally left alone to fend for himself. Like Stephen Simmons, he is a kind-hearted pacifist. He is sweet and has a resilient spirit. He warms the heart.
6. The lesson
Stephen Simmons joins the war to prove to himself and his father that he is a worthwhile man. Stu gets embroiled in a fight with the Lipnickis in order to defend his tree fort.
Both of them realize, in time, the futility of war and the destruction it leaves in its wake.
Stu’s sister Lidia summarizes this in her school essay:
“War is like a big machine that no one really knows how to run and when it gets out of control it ends up destroying the things you thought you were fighting for, and a lot of other things you kinda forgot you had.”
I was tempted to conclude that the film is a reminder that war is a bad thing and countries should avoid war at all costs. Yet, we all know that for most of us, the big battles of the world are out of our control.
What is in our control are the petty fights we are tempted to engage in, both offline and online. They cost everyone more than we know. We should choose our battles wisely and sparingly. Most of them are not worth it.
You may also like:
1. The armour that doesn’t come off
2. Being there
