Linbeymusol Wonderful character development!

Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Listonixio Fresh and Exciting

Mo (Mublumm@aol.com) Many reviewers gushed about how this movie is a wonderful drama about coping after a loss. Sure it is, but that's not the point of the movie. It was clear when watching this film that it was one thing only: preachy propaganda. Now, I'm not judging the message of the preachy propaganda, just pointing out what this film is: One strong, loud message, which is so blaring that it scared people away from the box office. It wasn't an emotional fiction, it was 100% political commentary, and moviegoers can smell that a mile away and they usually don't like that. They want entertainment, not a sermon. Not only that, I further submit that John Cusak is an extremely intelligent person and knows exactly what he was doing by agreeing to take on this project. He knew the movie wouldn't do financially well but the message probably spoke to his beliefs. It's not an anti-war message in the literal sense. The point isn't "War is Bad." It's more of an anti-Bush's stupid notion to go into Iraq itself. It's mostly critiquing Bush's main reason of going into Iraq, namely "Ahm a war prezidunt." Most Americans realize now that Bush wanted to go into Iraq, Iran, Syria, and North Korea for a campaign against evil without 1) understanding the true consequences of attempting it and 2) without the determination to stay hard when things get messy, which things did, which is why he never made it past Iraq. This movie's message is: "Hey, future presidential leaders! Please realize that when you make some tossed-out decision about "gowin' tawore" that you're sending real actual men and women who have lives, who have families, and there will be huge repercussions for each loss, every victim is a major tragedy, not just 'Oh, cool, we only lost 4 this week.'" I think the writer of this movie felt that this message was a necessary one to reach the hearts of every American because he probably believed that the Iraq war was a half-thought out plan that Bush decided on just because he felt like it. To make my theory more obvious, they even had a scene where Cheney or Rumsfeld or whomever was saying the rhetoric of 'if we don't continue our aggression it will be seen as a sign of weakness.' Liberals HATE that line of reasoning, which is why it's in here, to have viewers scream "That's why soldiers are dying?!" So, where do I stand? I definitely agree with the message of the film but at the same time, I had no idea I was signing up to join a rally for 90 minutes in watching a movie. The obviousness of the film's message was a bit eye rolling, that's all. And it therefore seems like a project or an after-school special for adults that only reached a handful of US audiences. I guess it's good to have it out there for the record. Perhaps it can even be shown in schools. Great, stellar acting by all, for what it's worth.

Roland E. Zwick Anytime a word like "grace" appears in a movie's title, it's time to set your pun-detector on high alert. In the case of "Grace is Gone," the word refers, on a literal level, to a woman named Grace who is killed while fighting in Iraq, and, on a figurative level, to the loss of innocence and hope suffered by the husband (John Cusack) and two young daughters she leaves behind.When Stanley Phillips (John Cusack) receives the devastating news, he decides not to tell the girls (Shelan O'Keefe, Gracie Bednarkczyk) right away, choosing instead to take them on a road trip from their home in Minnesota to a favorite amusement park in Florida, as a means of delaying the inevitable for himself as well as giving them one last happy memory before delivering the life-shattering blow. On the way, they meet various people - including Stanley's liberal, antiwar brother (well-played by Alessandro Nivola) - but basically it's a story of this one family's heartbreaking odyssey into gut-wrenching knowledge, an odyssey too many families are forced to take in a time of war.James C. Strouse's "Grace is Gone" is a very short (82 minutes), very low-keyed look at how certain individuals cope with tragedy. Many, like Stanley, refuse even to accept the reality of their loss and hope to postpone the day of reckoning as long as possible. However, Stanley, who's ex-military himself, also has to confront the tremendous guilt he feels for having supported not only Grace's choice to serve in Iraq but the Republican policies that led to the war in the first place. Stanley is faced with having to do something no father should ever have to do, and for the time being, he is being forced to hide the truth from not only an exuberant 8-year-old (Dawn) but a far more perceptive 12-year-old (Heidi), who is caught in that unique moment between the naivete of childhood and the knowingness that comes with growing up. She can sense that something's "up," based on her father's slightly off-kilter behavior, but she can't quite put her finger on what it is. Indeed, the conversations between Stanley and Heidi - wherein they wind up communicating far more than just what they say with their words - are the best things in the movie.And there simply aren't adjectives adequate to describe the miraculous performances of Cusack, O'Keefe and Bednarkczyk in the principal roles. This is an "actors' picture" if ever there was one, and these three extraordinary individuals prove themselves more than equal to the enormously challenging task they've been called upon to do.With its spare settings, self-effacing direction and heartfelt emotions, this is a beautifully understated and moving work that drives home with shattering force the simple truth - one we are all too prone to forget - that not all of war's casualties occur on the battlefield.

ordebaru As a tearjerker, this is a good movie. Cusack and Shelan O'Keefe had good chemistry together.The best commentary on Cusack's acting is the small exchange in the car, when Heidi asked why their mom went to war. She asked why TV news say it's all a lie. Stanley says that they need faith, belief, and if they don't, then they've lost.First, even now, TV news don't say it's a lie. Commentators, late at night, yes; but not TV news.Second, ever see, on TV news, of North Koreans standing in a field affirming their faith in their Great Leader? Their country is falling apart, yet they truly believe in their leader. I guess that's what Stanley wants Americans to be: full of faith and belief in their leader, because if not then you're lost. Never mind the facts, never mind the truth, just believe.Cusack, as far as I know, is not a radical right-winger. So apparently Cusack wants to show us what kind of people are the war-enablers. Almost a throwaway scene, yet crucial in telling us the kind of person Stanley is.

Brian Wright Stanley is basically Middle American Man—living in Minnesota, working at a Home Depot surrogate at a lower-management level, high school graduate—who, as many such individuals, believes in his country and its leaders, at least to the extent of believing these leaders when they claim that invading the Middle East is an act of defending America. He signs up for the Marines, meets his wife there, but whereas she is shipped off to join the occupation forces, he is mustered out of the service for bad eyes. He becomes the Mr. Mom, staying home and taking care of the girls; in fact, he's a member of a support group of military spouses the rest of whom are women (which is the basis for one of the more gently humorous scenes in the movie....For my complete review of this movie and for other movie and book reviews, please visit my site TheCoffeeCoaster.com.Brian Wright Copyright 2008