Review: Thank You for Your Service
This week I wanted to watch something off my never-ending movie list. I think it’s necessary to write about what’s current but I also think it’s important to write about hidden gems that may have slipped through the cracks.
I’ll watch anything with Miles Teller in it. ANYTHING. From Whiplash to The Spectacular Now to Only the Brave, the guy kills it. He’s without a doubt one of my favorite actors who has so much range with his acting abilities it’s insane. If you’ve never heard of Miles, I highly suggest you IMDb him and watch one of his movies- Whiplash is an epic one to start with.
But I’m here today to talk about Thank You for Your Service. The movie, which is based on a true story, is very sad to say the least. It centers around Army Staff Sgt. Adam Schumann (Miles Teller) and his struggles with PTSD after arriving home from a deployment to Iraq. Adam and his buddy Tausolo (Beulah Koale) eventually seek help from the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) but unfortunately, the department is in way over its head.
There are a lot of amazing war movies out there: Saving Private Ryan, Camp X-Ray, The Hurt Locker. . . And while Thank You for Your Service centers more around the aftereffects of life on the battlefield, it’s still compelling to watch. It’s a little bit slower and less action-packed but I think it’s important to tell a story like this; to show what soldiers go through when they return home and how difficult it can be to get the help they need. Tausolo turns to drugs, Adam is on the verge of suicide and the VA is unable to be of service right away.
I try to watch content of all types of genres. I love watching movies for entertainment but I also like watching different types of movies to learn. I read an interview with the real-life Adam Schumann that the title Thank You for Your Service refers to a phrase that soldiers and veterans hear all the time to the point that it becomes meaningless (to him at least). He then told a story about a gentleman who came up to him, shook his hand and said: “Welcome home, son.” That short phrase which held a little more meaning brought him to tears. So if you want to express any gratitude or thanks to a soldier, “Welcome home” is the way to go.
I don’t think this movie is a must-see by any means, but it is informative. And like I said, if Miles Teller is in it, I’m watching it. Don’t expect a bunch of action and suspense because that is not what this movie is. It’s a slowly-built, emotional story that gives you insight into the lives of veterans. And hey, If I’m able to walk away from a movie having learned something new, then it was a movie worth watching.
