Kevin Bacon gives a quiet, moving performance (which I think is one of his all-time best), in this patient, poignant film that is as fascinating as it is tear-jerking. Ross Katz' understated direction keeps the focus tight on Pfc. Phelps, yet gives space for the people who encounter him during his journey to be affected. This is a small movie, but it's got some of the most incredible acting from minor roles as well as background & bit players that I've ever seen. It feels like everyone involved in this movie came to it with a sense of reverence, which gives all of the major story beats that much more punch. A hidden gem.

Yes, Phelps' story is tragic. Yes, he is a hero. Yes, I get why americans are sobbing from this movie. Yet this movie was a miss. It's hard to say what was the motive behind the story. Or what exactly was the story here. Was it to show us Phelps' life? His dedication to his nation? His patriotism? Or was the story about how the americans deal with their dead after they return from a war? Or was the story about Kevin Bacon's character? And that is why this is a mess of a movie. Yes, it is tear jerking, because of how stereotypical it is about death. You can feel empathy, you can feel like you are there with the dead soldier, because every person on this planet lost someone at some time, and knows grief. It is not going away. Once you experience grief, you can relate to it no matter how small of a dose you got from it. And that is exactly what this movie does. You don't get to know Phelps' in this movie. Apart from that he had a cheeky smile. You don't know jack sh*t about his life. Pretty much nothing about his work in the army. You only get to know that he was young, and he sacrifised himself for his platoon. And that's it. And I don't like this. You shouldn't remember somebody just because the way he died. That's the cheap way to do it. Also you don't get to know what was the story behind Bacon's character. At one point, a fellow soldier hands him a card with a name of a psychologist. She feels this guy has some trauma. Yet do we get to know what was his deal? Do we get to know why he decided to handle this soldier's body? No. We don't know absolutely nothing about Bacon's character. Just that he feels useless and coward because he stayed home. And that is fine, but the movie is still a mess in my opinion. It wanted to show so much about the USA military, that it ended up showing nothing. And I guess I know why this movie could have been a hit in 2009, but in 2025, it lacks the emotional depth to be better than a below average movie.

The short clips hold up better than the full feature film. It's well acted and very respectful to what it contains. Also not overly dramatic. If I was an American I'd probably have a better feel for it but right now it felt more like a documentary about a boring subject.

Yes, i never heard of this movie and iam also a victim of many clip reels so i decided to watch it. It crushed my heart, my soul my everything. I'm a sucker for these type of movies as i come from a long line of AirForce Pilots so it always hit a spot. Bacon delivers a fantastic so simple and heartfull performance with a few lines but all the people in the movie tried hard to deliver the message and how heart broking the whole process in these situations. My only question is i didn't understand why he chose to be the volunteer as a military escort for the fallen. it doesn't matter though for the movie.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.