'The Drummer' Review: Heartbreaking but boring tale of soldiers' traumatic fate
Spoilers for 'The Drummer'
1091 Pictures just came out with its latest movie 'The Drummer' and our mind is tired. The indie drama revolves around different war veterans and serving soldiers of the United States Army in 2008 and paints a grim picture of the realities of war.
The flick revolves around different soldiers and their incredibly tough lives as they serve with never-ending uncertainty of their next moments. Starring Danny Glover, Sam Underwood and Prema Cruz, 'The Drummer' follows each leading character's personal struggles as they return home. Read on to know our thoughts on the movie.
READ MORE
'Greyhound': Release date, plot, cast, trailer and all you need to know about Tom Hanks' WWII film
Set in 2008, the film shows a time after the attack on the World Trade Center that led to public demand for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. The movie introduces us to different war veterans from various generations. Mark Walker (Danny Glover) is a lawyer who runs the internet cafe called 'The Drummer' where he helps soldiers out legally. Corporal Darien Cooper (Sam Underwood) approaches Walker to help file a petition for legal discharge. We also meet Specialist Cori Gibson who has been AWOL for 6 months.
'The Drummer' is a very taxing watch that will manage to drain you. The portrayal of the effect war has on soldiers' minds is gut-wrenching. Right from the PTSD that follows them back home to paranoia and terrors, the breakdown of how the soldiers suffer mentally is what the movie showcases. Danny Glover as Mark Walker is excellent as we see the lawyer who strives to help others have his own personal demons. He too once served in the Vietnam war and believed that they should have each other's backs.
A very dark picture of the army is painted as we see Cori reveal the sexual abuse, harassment, humiliation, and stress that she endured in her troop. Sam Underwood delivers a great performance as the pained soldier who suffers from hallucinations with his family also being affected. The fear in his eyes that he showcases in many scenes truly scares us.
Although the movie showcases what happens to the ones who protect their country and the injustice they face, that is all the film showcases. The movie doesn't have a story as such and is more of a documentation of the effects of war. This makes the lengthy flick quite boring and tiring as we see the different struggles. Even though the movie is heartbreaking, the audience would do better to skip it as it could also be quite triggering to viewers. If you're into tragedies, however, you can go ahead and watch.
'The Drummer' is available to stream on 1091 Pictures.
