The Dry Land

Name: The Dry Land
Genre: Drama
Released: July 30, 2010
Duration: 92 min
Rating: 47
Cast: America Ferrera, Ryan O'Nan, Wilmer Valderrama

2010

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Mixed or average reviews based on 10 Critic Reviews

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The Dry Land

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Movie Details & Credits

Freestyle Releasing | Release Date: July 30, 2010 | R

Starring: America Ferrera, Ryan O'Nan, Wilmer Valderrama

Summary: A U.S. soldier returning home from war struggles to reconcile his experiences abroad with the life and family he left in Texas.

Director: Ryan Piers Williams

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 92 min

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Critic Reviews

Boxoffice Magazine Steve Ramos

Ferrera proves herself to be just as talented in dramatic roles. Read full review

V.A. Musetto

A gut-wrenching look at the human cost of war. Read full review

Nick Pinkerton

The Dry Land does slip inside the inescapable, closed-circle logic of despair, and O'Nan's shy, precarious performance keeps you with him to the edge of the abyss. Read full review

Scott Tobias

A little focus might have helped. Or not: The Dry Land seems intent to tick off a checklist of PTSD symptoms without animating them with fresh details or creative life. It's cloaked in an earnestness that suffocates. Read full review

Jeannette Catsoulis

Sincere performances elevate an underdeveloped script and awkward filmmaking in The Dry Land, a coming-home drama as inexpressive as its traumatized lead. Read full review

Sheri Linden

Shaped more for message than for convincing narrative impact, The Dry Land ends up feeling like a PSA to raise awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder. Read full review

Nathan Rabin

A painfully earnest drama about post-traumatic stress disorder that sticks so closely to the soldiers-coming-home template, writer-director Ryan Piers Williams seems to be diligently working through a checklist of returning-warrior-movie clichés. Read full review

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NicoDaFlagburna

Dec 9, 2010

The film examines the effect of war on the psyche of small town America and the role of the family as a cohesive unit. Since the Vietnam War it is implied that generations of Americans (though also immigrants) have been exposed to foreign conflicts causing a collapse in the foundations ofThe film examines the effect of war on the psyche of small town America and the role of the family as a cohesive unit. Since the Vietnam War it is implied that generations of Americans (though also immigrants) have been exposed to foreign conflicts causing a collapse in the foundations of domestic relationships. Moving at a conversational pace the film compares the Army to the nuclear family and the violence that exists within each relationship. On the surface it is an anti-war statement highlighting the nature of the Iraq conflict as being abusive and anti-social though on a deeper level it exposes violence as ingrained within the fabric of human desire. The film examines mental health and is quietly effective at drawing you into O'Nam's barren perspective where sunlight feels cold and death is never far away. The ensemble cast are vigorous and fortunately seem to drive the film with more authority than the director. As a story it is pleasant and heartfelt but as a film there is never any noteworthy flair or originality to warm to. It is a heavily biased film which can be criticised for being vein and shallow in style. It is probably one to avoid as a typical American product.… Expand

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