THE YELLOW BIRDS
US, 2107, 94 minutes, Colour.
Alden Erenreich, Tye Sheridan, Tony Collette, Jennifer Aniston, Jack Huston, Jason Patric.
Directed by Alexandre Moors.
The title for this war film comes from a verse for the military march theme, Sound Off, where the recruits are referred to as yellow birds.
This is a film focusing on the younger recruits, volunteers to go to wars in the Middle East. The focus is on a young man, Daniel/Murph, Tye Sheridan, earnest, planning to study history, but trying to do the right thing in going to war. In training he comes across another young man, Brandon, friendly but not having had opportunities for study or making something of himself, played by Alden Ehrenreich. A sergeant takes them under his wing, their forming a small group when they go for service in Iraq. The sergeant is played by Jack Huston. (Alden Ehrenreich gives quite a different performance from his Han Solo in the Star Wars epic and his cowboy in the Cohen Brothers Hail, Caesar. And Jack Huston played the more recent Ben Hur. Tye Sheridan had a number of significant roles in Mud and Ready Player One.)
There are sequences of training. There are sequences of bonding. There are action sequences, raids and attacks, explosions and injuries, graphic deaths. The effect of the war experience is disillusioning for Daniel, shattering his ideals, urging him to walk away from action – with deadly results. These results have an effect on Brandon as well as the sergeant, leading to decisions and behaviour that call them to account when they return from the war.
Of particular interest is the portrait of the two mothers. Daniel’s mother is played by Jennifer Aniston, who has asked Brandon to tell her if anything happened to her son and, at the end, he does. On the other hand, Toni Collette is very effective as Brandon’s mother, neglected by him, yet loving him and concerned. The scenes between the two mothers are quite effective.
The screenplay was cowritten by David Lowery, editor and writer, his films as director include Eight Them Bodies Saints, Pete’s Dragon, A Ghost Story, The Old Man and the Gun. Dir Alexandre Moors began his career in France.
1. A war film? The portrait of war and action? The critique?
2. The title, the verse of the song for Sound Off and the military drill?
3. The Virginia settings, homes, the town? The forts and the basis? Iraq, the base, the desert, the village and action? The river? The musical score?
4. The structure of the film, times and flashbacks, flash forwards? The effect for storytelling and audience understanding and appreciation? The reprising of past scenes and their having more meaning?
5. Daniel Murphy, his age, experience, doing something worthwhile with his life, enlisting, an idealist, intending to study history? His parents and visit, the meal? Sterling and his interest in Daniel and Bartle, making them the particular group, offering his protection? Going to Iraq, the effect, observing the action, seeing the injuries, the young men themselves being injured, shrapnel being removed from Daniel? The orders, the action? His growing alienation, alone, sitting in the dark, observing the nurse, sitting in the armchair, wandering away? His death? An expression of alienation? The search for him, sitting in the lounge, walking away, his dead body?
6. The contrast with Brandon, his life, not studying, sexual relationships, harsh on his mother? His meeting Murphy’s mother, the discussions, promising that he would tell her if anything happened? With Sterling, with Daniel, the special squad? In Iraq, the action, his accepting the military warfare? The scene of the dance, encouraging the nurse to come and ask, Daniel’s awkwardness? The shelling, the nurse dying? Brandon and Murphy and his being alone, sitting in the chair, the mystery, Sterling and Brandon trying to find him?
7. The return home, staying with his mother, his treatment of her, her emotional reaction? Alone, sleeping, phoning Sterling, going to the factory, the mattress? At the store, the boy? The enquiries from the CID officer? His answer to the questions, the flashbacks and the old lady indicating where Murphy had gone, the old man with the cart? His wanting to speak with Murphy’s mother only? Telling the story? The flashbacks, the search for Murphy, finding the body, the wounds? The decision, the motivations? Wrapping the body, putting it in the water, Brandon in the water and the scene reprised? Sterling and his shooting the man with the cart? The cover-up?
8. Sterling, as sergeant, the rifle range, choosing the two, together, the help on the raids, under fire, the search, finding Murphy, the death of the old man?
9. The military leadership, urging them to action for the best day of their lives, the scripture quotations? The body bombs in the streets, the vehicles exploding, the range of injuries?
10. The two mothers, Brandon’s mother, her concern, with his mother, the visit, talking and sharing, mutual support?
11. Brandon and his talking with Murphy’s mother, promising her that he would tell her the true story, the ugliness of the story, the sadness? The decision about not going to the authorities? The river? His explanation of the flow of the river out into the Gulf into the sea? The consolation of telling the story about Murphy, the dance, his reluctance, his
awkward dancing but his happiness?
12. An illustration of traumatic stress during war action?
