January 11, 2008, - 4:07 pm
Think the Anti-War Movies Are Over? . . .
By Debbie Schlussel
. . . Think again.
After all the bombs at the box office by anti-war movies–regardless of star power–you’d think Hollywood would give up.
The latest is “Stop Loss,” starring the former Mr. Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Phillippe. She had her anti-war pan-Islamist bomb, “Rendition.” Apparently, he wanted his. “Stop Loss,” which debuts on March 28th is about a soldier (Phillippe, an East Coaster with a schlocky Southern accent for this movie), who refuses to return to Iraq. Here’s the IMDB description of the movie:
Back home in Texas after fighting in Iraq, a soldier refuses to return to battle despite the government mandate requiring him to do so.
YAAAAWN. Boooooring. Been there, seen that. Here’s the trailer:
The movie also stars Abbie Cornish, reportedly the woman with whom Phillippe cheated on Witherspoon, which broke up their marriage.
I’ve seen Phillippe–he sat at my table at my Cousin David’s wedding–and, trust me, he ain’t all that. Nothing to write home about. He was rather grungy, even in an expensive pinstriped suit, and I barely even recognized the guy. That he’s starring in this absurd movie, just as the surge is working, makes him even less attractive on so many levels.
Yup, that’s what we need–movies encouraging more deserters. I predict–and it’s hardly rocket science–that this one will be a bomb, too. Neither of the former Mr. and Mrs. Reese Witherspoons should count on splitting any profits on this in the divorce settlement.
You’d think the “tiny” hint of “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” topping the box during the entire holiday season, for the last three weeks, might be a clue for Hollywood. That movie is apolitical. Instead, it’s action, adventure, and a focus on American history and historical sites.
That’s what America likes. The market has spoken. But Hollywood needs a hearing aid.
Oh, and by the way, the movie is produced by MTV Films, struggling to stay relevant and not succeeding. I don’t want my MTV.
Tags: Abbie Cornish, America, Back, Debbie Schlussel, Iraq, MTV Films, National Treasure, Over? . . . By Debbie Schlussel, Reese Witherspoon, Reese Witherspoons, Rendition, Ryan Phillippe, Stop Loss, Texas
Maybe this movie (in all likely hood probably) was made around the same time (2006 or 2007) that all these other anti war bombs were being produced so the producers figured that there was a market for this type of crap.
Ripper on January 11, 2008 at 7:15 pm