Hard to peg, is it a comedy or a cdrama?  It’s a little of both. Thought provoking, and also fun.  Nice for teens, younger kids probably won’t get it.

Brandon’s war buddies are as shaken as he is by their experiences, but they each handle it in a different way. Steve, played by Channing Tatum, actually re-enlists, knowing that the war offers him job security as a sniper, a job he is good at.  His fiance Michele, played by Abbie Cornish, is tired of waiting around for Steve, so she dumps him, and ends up helping Brandon figure out what he is going to do.

Stop Loss is heartwrenching.  It’s a story that needs to be told, and it should be eye-opening for audiences.

The funniest line in the movie is when the new crew in town performs and gets heckled – someone in the crowd yells out: “This isn’t High School Musical!”

Greg and I were the oldest ones in the audience.  There were a few other parents there probably because they drove their kids.  Mostly young teenagers.  Some great messages about friendship, being true to yourself.

Fairy tales are traditionally violent, so that is the caveat here – this movie is not for young children.  Teens will adore it, but young kids will likely find the scenes too frightening, even though most of the “gore” takes place off-screen, and thus, in our minds.

This is a story of transformation.  A young man goes on a journey to please who he thinks is his true love.  He ends up discovering his real true love, and himself, along the way.  Claire Danes is the star who falls from the sky and is looking for her way “home.”  Michelle Pfeiffer is the witch who wants to cut out the star’s heart so that she can be immortal.  Robert DeNiro is the in-the-closet pirate who helps the young couple.  They’re all really good, and over-the-top in the kind of way that you should be in a fanciful fairy tale.

Truly delightful –  I loved it!