Opened: November 3, 2017

Directed by: Richard Linklater

Starring: Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne, J. Quinton Johnson, Yul Vazquez, Deanna Reed-Foster & Cicely Tyson

A tribute to parents of children lost at war, Last Flag Flying is an emotional journey with fantastically balanced performances by its main cast.

Larry “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carell) reunites with his former Marine buddies Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) and Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne) after his son dies in the armed services. Doc decides to forgo a burial at Arlington National Cemetery and bring him home to New Hampshire.

Carell, Cranston & Fishburne are all fantastically cast in roles that follow both serious and comedic tones. The balance between the heaviness of the storyline and the humor of reuniting with old friends is well-executed in their hands.

The film is a good character-driven piece. It relies on a strong script from writer-director Richard Linklater and Darryl Ponicsan – who wrote the novel the film is based on.

Final say: A touching piece. ★★★★☆