Last Flag Flying

Name: Last Flag Flying
Genre: Drama, Comedy, War
Released: November 3, 2017
Duration: 125 min
Rating: 65
Cast: Brian Wolfman Black Bowman, Bryan Cranston, Bryan Geary, Chris Drexel, Cicely Tyson

2017

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 45 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 50 Ratings

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7.3

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Last Flag Flying: How's The Living Over There?

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Movie Details & Credits

Amazon Studios | Release Date: November 3, 2017 | R

Starring: Brian Wolfman Black Bowman, Bryan Cranston, Bryan Geary, Chris Drexel, Cicely Tyson, Deanna Reed Foster, Dontez James, Graham Wolfe, J. Quinton Johnson, Jeff Monahan, Kate Easton, Laurence Fishburne, Lee Harrington, Mark Falvo, Richard Robichaux, Samuel Davis, Steve Carell, Tammy Tsai, Yul Vazquez

Summary: In 2003, 30 years after they served together in the Vietnam War, former Navy Corps medic Larry “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carell) re-unites with ex-Marine Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) and Reverend Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne) on a different type of mission: to bury Doc’s son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War. Doc decides to forgoIn 2003, 30 years after they served together in the Vietnam War, former Navy Corps medic Larry “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carell) re-unites with ex-Marine Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) and Reverend Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne) on a different type of mission: to bury Doc’s son, a young Marine killed in the Iraq War. Doc decides to forgo burial at Arlington Cemetery and, with the help of his old buddies, takes the casket on a bittersweet trip up the East Coast to his home in suburban New Hampshire. Along the way, Doc, Sal and Mueller reminisce and come to terms with shared memories of the war that continues to shape their lives.… Expand

Director: Richard Linklater

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy, War

Rating: R

Runtime: 125 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Richard Roeper

Nov 9, 2017

This is one of the best movies of 2017. Read full review

IndieWire Eric Kohn

Sep 28, 2017

Above all, Last Flag Flying illustrates a fascinating link between Ashby and Linklater, two filmmakers from different eras who both explore American society’s capacity to alienate the same people contributing to its identity. That gloomy proposition finds a fresh tone in Linklater’s hands, where angry, disillusioned people still manage to find room to laugh. Read full review

Calvin Wilson

Nov 22, 2017

It’s an interesting showcase for Carell, who turns in an uncharacteristically low-key but heartfelt performance. Cranston is more than a bit over the top, but Fishburne balances him out. Read full review

David Edelstein

Sep 28, 2017

It’s in the uncertainties and dissonances of Last Flag Flying that Linklater’s humanism really expresses itself. Three men of vastly different values and temperaments come alive in the shared understanding that their losses were for nothing. And that shared understanding is something. Read full review

Gary Thompson

Nov 16, 2017

Last Flag Flying lacks the casual, lived-in realism you usually find in a Linklater film. You don’t buy the men as long-separated pals, and so you don’t really buy the premise — the connection that caused Doc to seek out these men is not visible on screen. Read full review

The Film Stage Kyle Pletcher

Sep 28, 2017

When playing into Linklater’s significant strengths as a director of actors, the film is able to entertain and evoke sincere feelings from its audience. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

Nov 2, 2017

The effort shows in all three performances. Spontaneity is in short supply. The comedy seems willed, the solemnity mechanical, the dialogue rhythms awkward and self-conscious. Read full review

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User Reviews

freeridearts

Mar 4, 2021

This is a great film. This is a great film. This is a great film. This is a great film.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Brent_Marchant

Nov 19, 2017

A truly moving cinematic experience that's not to be missed. With a rollercoaster of emotions and an intriguing road trip narrative, the film takes viewers through an array of feelings and moods from tremendous hilarity to profound sadness, and nearly always seamlessly. Most of all, however,A truly moving cinematic experience that's not to be missed. With a rollercoaster of emotions and an intriguing road trip narrative, the film takes viewers through an array of feelings and moods from tremendous hilarity to profound sadness, and nearly always seamlessly. Most of all, however, this latest offering from Richard Linklater features three of the strongest male lead performances to come along in quite a while (kudos to the casting director for skillfully choosing Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston and Laurence Fishburne for their remarkable portrayals and their unbelievable chemistry). Admittedly, the picture gets off track a few times, going on several needless tangents, but overall this strong, solid film is well worth one's time.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

moviemitch96

Dec 2, 2017

A heartfelt and often times moving film with plenty of great chemistry between it's three leads, even if the film is relatively straightforward. Steve Carell gives one of his most touching and tender performances to date, Bryan Cranston just about steals the show with his humor, and LaurenceA heartfelt and often times moving film with plenty of great chemistry between it's three leads, even if the film is relatively straightforward. Steve Carell gives one of his most touching and tender performances to date, Bryan Cranston just about steals the show with his humor, and Laurence Fishburne is reliable as always. Overall, it's the performances and chemistry from the three leads that made the film for me for the most part, and that's good enough for me.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

section20mi6

Feb 14, 2018

Through a mildly comical yet subtly solemn lens, Linklater deftly illustrates a generational story in which wars and losses shape men in different ways, delivering mixed emotions among characters.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

amheretojudge

Jan 19, 2018

the worst has happened..

Last Flag Flying Within few minutes Steve Carell opens up to his friends and it is hardly possible for someone to not cry; now this represents how good of an actor Steve Carell is, not that Bryan Cranston and Lawrence Fishburne are not in their A game. All the leadthe worst has happened..

Last Flag Flying

Within few minutes Steve Carell opens up to his friends and it is hardly possible for someone to not cry; now this represents how good of an actor Steve Carell is, not that Bryan Cranston and Lawrence Fishburne are not in their A game. All the lead actors however different their character's nature is, plays a sore, vulnerable and prone to the experience they suffered all along their life is easily and majestically projected by them. Last Flag Flying is Richard Linklater's darkest film as it scraps up some brutal wounds and he depends completely on his cast for this part. And when it comes to offer some levity, hope and of course unusual conversations (the one thing no one can beat him on), he carries it on his shoulder. Last Flag Flying is a head held high movie (a new topic or genre for Richard and he is surprisingly good at it.) that lets the audience think about the consequences of the decision that one chooses which is represented in a mild and innocent tone.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

Dec 6, 2017

After his son is killed in the Iraq War, the father (Steve Carell playing the quiet type) enlists the help of 2 former vet buddies (Bryan Cranston, who plays the loose cannon to the point of obnoxious and Laurence Fishburne, who's working the mellow minister angle). Together they travel fromAfter his son is killed in the Iraq War, the father (Steve Carell playing the quiet type) enlists the help of 2 former vet buddies (Bryan Cranston, who plays the loose cannon to the point of obnoxious and Laurence Fishburne, who's working the mellow minister angle). Together they travel from Norfolk to New Hampshire on a trip that involves lots of reminiscences about their time together in Vietnam. LOTS of memories and plenty of chat. While there are some winning moments and interesting interactions, there's also too much repetition. Even though the ending is mildly moving, the hoped-for revelations never create dramatic impact. Director Richard Linklater knows how to write engaging dialogue and create endearing human moments (he co-wrote with Darryl Ponicsan, the novelist that inspired the movie), but this conversational adventure could have been a lot more appealing with 30 minutes trimmed from its 125-minute length.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

trushton

Dec 3, 2017

Not a great movie... and by the end, terrible. There were ideas to be explored, for example the issue of war glamorization, but it never went anywhere beyond an old folks road movie. It never dared to go there fully. It stuck it's toe in the pool but didn't jump in.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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