A US Army officer, who made a "friendly fire" mistake that was covered up, has been reassigned to a desk job. He is tasked to investigate a female chopper commander's worthiness to be awarded the Medal of Honor. At first all seems in order. But then he begins to notice inconsistencies between the testimonies of the witnesses...
Acting
Washington's quiet devastation vs. Ryan's fragmented, contradictory presence.
Direction
Zwick structures testimony like unreliable Rashomon in fatigues.
Writing
Patrick Sheane Duncan's script weaponizes military jargon as emotional armor.
Director
Edward Zwick
Denzel Washington
Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling
Meg Ryan
Captain Karen Emma Walden
Lou Diamond Phillips
Staff Sergeant John Monfriez
Michael Moriarty
Brigadier General Hershberg
Matt Damon
Ilario
Bronson Pinchot
Bruno
Seth Gilliam
Stephen Altameyer
Regina Taylor
Meredith Serling
Željko Ivanek
Banacek
Scott Glenn
Gartner
Tim Guinee
Rady
Tim Ransom
Boylar
Sean Astin
Patella
Mark Adair-Rios
Bobcat 5
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Matt Damon dropped 40 pounds and shaved his head for his brief, haunting role as the traumatized medic.
Released four years after the actual Gulf War, it was among the first films to question official military narratives rather than celebrate them.
US
