Seems is the operative word. Wood (almost 27), whose still-boyish face and enormous blue eyes jump out of the screen, portrays a nervous young man who eventually reveals a fear far deeper than fighting in a war. Strangely enough, the movie has comical moments, which are effortlessly woven into the action and mostly involve Wood's character.
Former Brat Packer Ally Sheedy (looking good after all these years) makes an appearance as Feller's unethically disengaged psychiatrist of seven years, who does crossword puzzles, reads magazines, and paints her fingernails during their sessions.
"What if they don't like me," asks the anxiety-ridden Feller. "I'll bet the first ones to die are the ones that nobody likes. I feel like I'm one of those guys."
Her response? She writes him a prescription for sleeping pills and says, "You don't need a psychiatrist, Aaron. Just be yourself." Okay. She could have saved him a lot of money if she'd told him that seven years ago.
Day Zero is better than I expected, although I thought the men were an unlikely trio. They seemed too different to have retained such a long friendship. The haunting soundtrack was appropriate for the story; the retro songs (and Wood's sideburns) gave me the impression I was watching a Vietnam War-era movie.
Whether one is for, against, or indifferent to the Iraq war, there's something in the movie for everyone. According to Anthony Moody, a producer on the film, that process was deliberate. "[W]e didn't make a political film in the traditional sense which, to me, is one that takes a biased stance and attempts to persuade the audience to its argument," he wrote on LewRockwell.com. Moody said that he, screenwriter Robert Malkani, and director Bryan Gunnar Cole are "in no particular order... a liberal, a conservative, and a centrist."
Day Zero goes beyond the rhetoric of war and exposes how men's own convictions disrupt and interrupt their lives.
Article comments
1 - Jane Sullivan
Thank you for an intelligent, thoughtful (though brief) review of Day Zero. I assume, with the release date coming up, that you were working from an advance copy? Indie films are in a particularly precarious state these days, struggling to find distribution and recognition in a sea of sequels, prequels and 'blockbusters'. Which is a shame, because the 'big' movies are ultimately spectacle, while brilliant performances of truly gifted people like Elijah Wood go undiscovered. Again, thank you.
2 - La Shawn
Thanks for the kind words, Jane. Yes, I had an advance copy. I agree with you about indie films. I want to do my part (even if it's small) to make sure people know about good ones like Day Zero.
3 - Shannon Kay
Great review LaShawn. I'll add this to my list of must sees!
4 - Richard Cook
It will be very interesting to observe when and if it comes time to ante up for all the rights we have.
5 - William
I'm glad to see a release of a balanced and discussion provoking (vice a biased and rant provoking) movie on any social topic. And that this is an independent movie is even better. Thank you for your review. I will put it on the list.