The Dry Land (2010)

Touches You

A lot of fun.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

A friend of mine (Facebook friend) who was in the army recommended me this movie. I saw the main cast, Ryan O'Nan was unknown to me, but America (Ugly Betty, Real Women Have Curves), Wilmer (That 70's Show), Jason (Happy Endings, Freddy Vs Jason), Melissa (Frozen River), Ethan (My Name is Earl), Evan (8 Mile, Jarhead) and Ana Claudia (The Crime of Father Amaro)I really wonder how with a low budget they could afford to cast so many recognizable good actors. As I suspected the acting was really good. The chemistry between the actors was spot on. Many of the actors had little screen time, but they made it memorable. The movie start with a good pace until James (O'Nan) starts to feel the symptoms of his condition. After that things happen really fast. I'm not military man, but I guess anyone can identify himself or herself with some of the issues any veteran has to deal with after coming back home. Even though this movie is classified as a Drama it has a little bit of everything; romance, comedy, mystery (no spoiler watch the movie), and adventure. For a debuting Director this film promises a lot in the future for him. Ryan O'Nan has a lot of potential and talent. I'm delighted to see that many actors still make movies not for the money, but for the love to its Art.

I am a combat Veteran who was seriously wounded in Baghdad, Iraq on April 26, 2004. I had the opportunity to view The Dry Land at the Dallas International Film Festival in April this year. I think the movie does an excellent job portraying some of the issues that may occur when a combat Veteran comes home. Each one of us has a different experience of war and react differently when we come back home and try to fit back into normalcy. It can be difficult to accept that life back home may be different then prior to our deployment and the fact that our friends and family view us differently too. I think The Dry Land is spot on in every aspect of the movie and I want to thank all of the actors & actresses for their involvement and especially the Director and Screenwriter Ryan Piers Williams.

Writer-director Ryan Piers Williams does, and he has been researching and reading about the subject for five years.The result is "The Dry Land". But how can after five years researching something not fair showed up !James characteristics is not match with what it have to be, not real. some one who is care about what happen to animals, but human. Compare to others James is more sensitive to small detail of life which is not acceptable, because he just came back from Iraq and what he have done there must made him more though than before and James doesn't remember what he have done in Iraq, that's whole idea to make the movie. Raymond Gonzales (Wilmer Valderrama) and Henry (Diego Klattenhoff) are quite close to reality of whom had war experience, Raymond still wants to be active and naughty as old days because he missed it and Henry wants to forget everything as he said: "Help me end this".It's better to show the war effect on both side simultaneously.

Sundance did it to me again. Suckered me in and made me cry. There is always a film or a subject matter that tugs at your heart strings. This film and it's subject did that to me.James (Ryan O'Nan) returns home. After a tour in Iraq. Now home in his Texas small town. James must get back into a civilian lifestyle. His transition is going to be his biggest war. Not remembering a significant event in Iraq. Which killed two and wounded others. James drives a wedge between his family and friends. His wife Sarah (America Ferrera) leaves him do to his constant aggressive flashbacks. His best friend (Jason Ritter) tries desperately to help. But, James refuses any help. So, he sets out to find what happened that day in Iraq. He is joined by his fellow Army buddy (Wilmer Valderrama). The two ex-soldiers head to Walter Reed Medical center. To visit one of the injured soldiers. What James learns. Haunts him and filled the void of that unanswered question. The trouble of his Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome will lead James down a rocky road.We may have seen films touch on this subject matter. But, none quite like this. Director Ryan Piers Williams did a phenomenal job tackling this subject. The acting was solid. The need for this film today is warranted. Soldiers are coming home daily. We need to support them. With the suicide rate of returning soldiers out numbering the casualties over seas. We have to bring this to the table. Discuss it and help!