The Messenger
Short description
The Messenger follows Will Montgomery, a U.S. Army staff sergeant who returns from Iraq and is assigned to the Army's casualty notification service for the final months of his service. Working alongside Captain Tony Stone, he delivers news of soldiers' deaths to their families, a duty governed by strict protocol that leaves little room for emotion. Will's composure is tested when he becomes drawn to Olivia Pitterson, a young widow he meets through his work, creating a conflict between his responsibility to her and his loyalty to his partner.
Oren Moverman directed the film, his first feature, from a screenplay he wrote with Alessandro Camon. Ben Foster leads as Will, with Woody Harrelson as Tony Stone and Samantha Morton as Olivia. Jena Malone, Eamonn Walker and Steve Buscemi appear in supporting roles. The cast totals 24 credited performers.
Made for about 7 million dollars, the film returned roughly 2 million at the worldwide box office. It rates 7.1 out of 10 on IMDb from around 38,000 votes and 6.8 out of 10 on TMDB from roughly 500 votes, while a critics' score of 7.7 from 158 reviews places it above both audience measures. Moverman went on to direct Rampart, Time Out of Mind and The Dinner.
What's left behind the scenes
- At various points in the early stages of the project's production, the director's chair was held by Sydney Pollack, Roger Michell, and Ben Affleck. After each of them declined the job for various reasons, producers unexpectedly offered the opportunity to direct the film to one of the scriptwriters, Oren Moverman.
- The scene of a conversation between Ben Foster and Samantha Morton in the kitchen lasted eight minutes and was filmed in one continuous shot. At certain points, director and one of the screenwriters Oren Moverman allowed the actors to improvise.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
