Review: Last Flag Flying

I am big fan of Richard Linklater films, and many others are as well. What I love about his films the most, is that he just lets the story do its thing.
He lets the camera pull back, lets the characters talk and usually gives us a profound story.

Occasionally he gives a feel-good flick such as Dazed And Confused, School Of Rock and Everybody Wants Some. But he is more known for his slow-paced dramas such as the Before trilogy and the Oscar-winning Boyhood.

This latest project is certainly more of the latter. It has a gentle pace to it and tells a story that touches on a lot of interesting stuff in relation to the aftermath of being in the armed forces and how we grieve, whilst also being a pretty cool road movie in the process.

The three big stars in this all had solid development, strong-archs and were entertaining to watch. Bryan Cranston for me was the stand-out. I loved his characters laid-back approach to life and the energy and charm Cranston gives throughout was a joy to watch.
I think the timing of Laurence Fishburne coming into the film was on-point and I felt his serious tone to the matter at hand worked really well and had solid comradery with this fellow leads that just enhanced the story really well.
While Steve Carell is known for his more loud comedic roles, he does every now and then go for a subtle approach, and this is one of them. I think his soft touch to his character was the necessary mix to this trio. Even though he might not have been as memorable as Cranston or Fishburne, his contribution was essential to the overall product.

Despite giving this some solid praise, I don't think it is anywhere near as strong as most of his previous works. The story is lacking strength. There is nothing wrong with it. It's just that I don't think if will live long in the memory. I think the purposeful low-key feel to it was the main reason.
There were also moments that almost fell into those tropes you see in those films featuring elderly men trying to find their youth again. But thankfully, they managed to avoid going all-out in that department.

Even with saying all that, there is something about it that felt rather poignant, which is a regular strength of Linklater's feature.
It is competent and there are solid performances. But I think on the whole, it could be quickly forgotten despite it being a pleasant watch.

Rating: 7/10