War... What's It Good For? : A film review of The War

Twelve year old Lidia Simmons (Lexi Randall) is writing her memoirs as part of her summer school project for a bigoted teacher, Mrs. Strapford (Christine Baranski), who specializes in the Southern brand of sugar-coated cruelty. We begin with a bit of narration from Lidia and a quick introduction to her family. It's a beautiful June day in the little town of Juliet, Mississippi. Lidia is stuck in summer school, but she and Stu (Elijah Wood) are positively elated today because their daddy is home again.

Stephen Simmons (Kevin Costner) is a marine who has returned from the Vietnam war, and found his life fraught with difficulties. He hasn't been able to hold down a job and even common everyday routines were beyond him for awhile. So, he checked himself into a hospital hoping they could help him get rid of the nightmares that are threatening to overrun his life and family.

His wife, Lois (Mare Winningham), is holding down two jobs to keep them in the rundown row house that is a mockery of the lovely little home they once had before Stephen went away to war. Stephen is finding that work is even more difficult to come by now that he's spent time in "one of those" hospitals. None of which makes things any easier for Lidia and Stu, who have forged a tight sibling bond in standing against the Lipnicki's, a large brood of local bullies.

Stephen is perhaps most shocked to find just how willing his children are to wage their own version of war against these others. Haunted by his tragic experiences rooted firmly in the realities of war, Stephen tries to educate his son on the futility of following the path of anger, however righteous, turned to action. "Boy, sometimes all it takes is a split second for you to do something you'll regret the whole rest of your life."

The situation between the Simmons' gang and the Lipnicki's escalates over the summer, reaching a standoff over the fabulous fort Stu, Lidia and their friends have built. Can they find a peaceful resolution with the Lipnicki's before it becomes a full blown war? Can Stephen find the redemption and success he and his family so desperately need? Caught between the needs of her husband, children and self, can Lois continue being the loving support so vital to their family make-up? To quote another film "What is worth living for, and what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same: only love." (Don Juan Demarco)

My Thoughts:

The War is one of my favorite films. I was impressed from the first viewing with everyone's performances, but especially the many children who feature so largely here. LaToya Chisom as Elvadine, Lidia's best friend, is particularly amusing and equally impressive when telling Mrs. Strapford how "My life sure is like a bowl of cherries." The entire Lipnicki brood did a marvelous job portraying a united front, as children in their position would, and each had moments in which they shine.

Of all these marvelous child actors, only two, besides the instantly recognizable Elijah Wood, went on to do any significant work; Lucas Black and Christopher Fennell, who actually worked briefly again as brothers on the short-lived television show American Gothic, can be found in several other fine works. I am grateful that so many truly talented young people were gathered for this film where the children run so much of the show.

The War, is a drama covers so many issues and does it in such a way that we never feel distracted from the main message of the film. Lydia probably delivers this message best towards the end of the film, "War is like a big machine that no one really knows how to run and when it gets out of control it ends up destroying the things you thought you were fighting for, and a lot of other things you kinda forgot you had.", and obviously we, as a country, are still trying to figure out how to run that machine.

The film is set in Mississippi during the early 70's. The last of U.S. troops were withdrawn from Vietnam in 1973. I would have been three, and while my earliest recordable memory is my first birthday party... I can remember standing in front of a large floor console black and white television (remember those monstrosities?) looking at a man I didn't know talking about pigs and peace. I remember scenes of angry people with signs, and was very puzzled why so many seemed upset about these pigs. Years later I was able to put a name to that face, but at the time Nixon meant nothing to me.

Twenty odd years later, I find myself watching The War for the first time, and marvel at how time is perceived, how it passes in fits and jumps. Like many people walking around the U.S. today, it seems incomprehensible to me that a teacher would not only segregate her class by color, but ignore a child's public revelation that she has been abused. Like so many adults who weathered the societal storms of those turbulent years during the Vietnam war, I never thought to see our country so eager to start up that machine again. Yet, just like the reality that bigotry and discrimination continue in my lifetime, here I am 14 years after the release of this wonderful drama asking myself... Why haven't we learned a d@*! thing in all these years?


As much as I love this film, I regret how much of it is still so very relevant to us today. The War, released in 1994, still forces me to re-examine what I think I know about life, society, time, perception and people in general fourteen years later. Bigotry, discrimination of those seeking therapy for mental and emotional issues or those living in poverty, parental neglect/abuse, and the disregard of such issues by people in a position to make a real difference are all highlighted here as supporting themes to the main anti-war message. I only hope these topics will continue to become less and less applicable as time passes.

Stu asks some heart-wrenching questions at the end of this film concerning life, death and why God decides to take people from us, often when we need them the most. Stu is a child though and cannot see, as we the viewers can, that it is our individual choices, even those made with the very best reasoning and intention, that lead us everywhere in life, even through that last door.

The War is an excellent drama that highlights the lives of ordinary people and the miracles hidden amidst our personal tragedies. I laugh, cry, and learn every time I watch it. Some of our worst choices as a people are made when we don't even realize we are being asked to choose. What will we choose tomorrow and where will those choices lead us?

"Meditation brings wisdom lack of mediation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom." ~ Buddha

"If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is compromise." ~ Robert Fritz

"When you have to make a choice, and don't make it, that is in itself a choice." ~ William James