MEGAN LEAVEY

US, 2017, 116 minutes, Colour.
Kate Mara, Edie Falco, Ramon Rodriguez, Common, Geraldine James, Will Patton, Tom Felton.
Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite.

This film is based on a true story. It is a story about the Iraq war. It is a story about the Marines. It is a story about the sniffer dogs and a tribute to them.

Kate Mara is Megan Leavey, initially leading an idle kind of life, wanting to get out of her home town, seeing a Marine recruiting poster and joining. The film traces the role of a woman in the Marines, interactions with the officers, suddenly put in charge of the sniffer dog in an emergency, initially cautious, getting advice to show confidence and bond with the dog.

There is action in Iraq, working border control and testing vehicles for weapons. Women are supposed to work checkpoints and not go out in the field, but there is an emergency and her dog, Rex, is successful in finding a large cache of weapons. During a more complicated action, there are explosions which affect both Rex and Megan.

On her return, Megan is listless, offers to adopt Rex but this is considered too dangerous for him among civilians. Ultimately, after clashing with her mother, the father of her dead friend urges her into action, she goes to a group for therapy, starts to get petitions about adopting Rex. This is finally recognised and a tribute ceremony to the sniffer dogs who went to Iraq.

There is a background romance. Megan Leavey continues to work in security and training dogs.

1. Based on a true story? The border of Megan Leavey? Harsh upbringing? Her achievement in the Marines?

2. A film about the role of sniffer dogs, in the Iraq war, insecurity? A tribute to the dogs and their trainers?

3. The opening, the small town, homes? The recruiting poster? The transfer to marine training, offices, training supervisors? The introduction to the sniffer dogs, their training, bonding with their trainers?

4. Megan, her harsh background, drugs and the death of her friend, her attempt at jobs, failure and being fired? Her seeing the recruiting poster and acting on it? The difficulties at home, her critical mother, stepfather, the friendship and support of the father of the dead friend?

5. Megan, her jobs, the trainer with the dog and his injury, the commander, ordering her to take the dog? Her diffidence? Wary of Rex?

6. The dogs, their breed, isolation, training, testing, for security? The trainers, the bonding? Megan and her being given the dog, failing the first test, the reprimands, the effect on her? Gaining in confidence, bonding with Rex? His success? The encounter with the vet supervisor and clashing with her?

7. The urgency of the dogs going to Iraq? Megan going with Rex? Arriving, Morales, friendship with Megan? His dog? Supervision? Her being received, women in the job?

8. Women on point duty, the episode with the man in the vehicle, his young son, the warning not to fraternise? The tension at point duty? The emergency, her having to go on site, Rex and his achievement? The house, the man protesting that he was religious, Rex finding the cache of weapons? The congratulations?

9. Rex and the surveillance of the open space, mines, setting the flags to indicate the frequency? The attack from the house? The going to the ruined houses, the schoolroom, being fired on? The vehicles, the attempted escape, the explosion, the effect on Megan and on critics? Their being repatriated, on the helicopter?

10. Megan, her relationship with Morales? Her return home, post traumatic stress disorder, her concern about Rex? Her wanting to adopt him? The officer and his warning about the dangers for injury of others in the streets? Her going to the supervisor, the testing and the file on Rex, her antagonism towards the supervisor?

11. At home, the mother welcoming, the gift, later the antagonism rising again? Leaving home, going to the father of the dead boy, his support? Her being urged on by him?

12. Her inability to do anything, not responding to Morales gift, going to the group, the discussions, her weeping?

13. Putting on a uniform, going to the politician, the appeal, on the street getting signatures? The television appearances? Phone calls about Rex, the final information, reunited with him?

14. The ceremony, the honouring of the dogs?

15. The final information about Rex, life with Megan, Megan and the development of her career in security, and training the dogs?