Jacknife

Jacknife is a poignant film released in 1989, which uses a masterful blend of drama and storytelling to explore the impacts of war on the human psyche. The movie boasts an impressive cast, featuring Hollywood veterans Robert De Niro, Ed Harris, and Kathy Baker in primary roles. Directed by David Jones, the movie is based on the play "Strange Snow" by Stephen Metcalfe, who also wrote the screenplay.

Robert De Niro delivers an exceptional performance as Joseph Megessey, playfully termed 'Jacknife' due to his risk-taking maneuvers during his tenure as a soldier in the Vietnam war. He exudes a sense of pathos and a consuming need to redeem himself, as he carries within his heart a burden of guilt and responsibility for his friends' suffering during the war.

Ed Harris superbly portrays Dave, a high-school teacher and one of Megessey's close buddies from the war. Dave, even years after returning from the damaging environment of Vietnam, remains trapped in a world of anxiety, guilt, and depression, drowned in alcoholism and unable to ward off the hauntings of the past. His character is raw and intense, beautifully lending an authenticity to the aftermath of war, resonating with the audience's empathy.

Kathy Baker is simply brilliant as Martha, Dave's loving but increasingly frustrated and desperate sister. Martha's character offers a fresh perspective and a moving portrayal of the toll that war takes not only on those who have fought but also on those who are left behind. She desires to liberally live life again, but remains caught in the crossfire between Dave's traumatic past and their shared dismal present.

The narrative of Jacknife begins with Megessey returning to his native town with incipient plans of resurrecting some fragments of his former life. He feels it his responsibility to get Dave out of his shell of insecurities and instill in him some hope to get back to life. Along the way, Megessey finds himself drawn towards Martha, beginning a tangled love story between the three leads.

One of the unique aspects of Jacknife is its compelling portrayal of a simple, post-war narrative that doesn’t resort to trite stereotypes, but instead delves into the complex and multi-layered effects of war on a person and their relationships. The film takes its time building up its characters and their interrelations, slowly unraveling their layered pasts and intentions.

The movie's depth doesn't just lie in its intense character study, but also in the way it beautifully handles the themes of friendship, love, guilt, and redemption. It's a testament to the struggle for survival — emotional, psychological, and social — that war veterans often hasten to hide, and the constructive influence the right relations, love, and support can have in reconnecting them with life.

The director, Jones, deserves credit for his careful and sensitive execution. Jacknife isn't just a war film but a human film, focusing on the micro-level analysis of post-war life and recovery. Cinematically, it's melodiously paced, interspersing high-stake emotional scenes with anti-climactic moments of everyday life, adding to its overall authenticity.

De Niro, Harris, and Baker exhibit an effortless chemistry on screen, with De Niro’s charismatic performance balancing Harris’s intense portrayal and Baker’s raw vulnerability. Their complex performances elicit emotional reactions from the audience and stimulate conversations about the harsh realities faced by war veterans and their families.

Complementing the compelling storytelling and stellar performances is the brilliant score by Bruce Broughton. The music serves as an intriguing undertone, enhancing the emotional gravitas of the narrative. The cinematography by Brian West effectively mirrors the story's emotional intensity and the characters' complex psyche, imbuing each scene with a haunting memory of the past interspersed with the painful reality of the present.

In conclusion, Jacknife is a subtle yet powerful film that delicately and sensibly handles the impact of war and the resultant PTSD on soldiers and their families. The indelible performances, the compassionate exploration of sensitive themes like trauma, guilt, and redemption, along with competent direction and a haunting score, combine to make this movie a must-watch. This war-drama is for those who appreciate a heart-touching story presented with authenticity and sincerity, designed to linger in one's mind long after they've finished watching.