Casualties of War

Casualties of War is currently streaming in Australia on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel, and in the US on fuboTV and MGM+ Amazon Channel, and it rewards the patience it asks of you. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 1,021 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Watch it for Michael J. Fox — one of the stronger performances out there right now. Available now on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Casualties of War is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. The writing in Casualties of War treats its characters as people first, plot devices second. During the Vietnam War, a soldier finds himself the outsider of his own squad when they unnecessarily kidnap a female villager. Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It hit screens in 1989. Casualties of War resists tidy resolutions in a way that respects how messy real consequences actually are. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Casualties of War is what you recommend to people who say they do not really watch much. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Michael J. Fox carries the material with a performance that rewards close attention. Worth starting sooner rather than later.