May be one of Anderson's most straightforward films that is really all about a father-daughter relationship and the positive affect someone can have over you once you let them penetrate your orbit. Every scene is quite fun.

A group of high school boys face typical troubles like anger with their parents and jealousies over girls when they are drafted at the tail end of WWII and are naïvely excited to become soldiers and do their patriotic duty, which is destroyed when they inadvertently end up on in a battle the very next day. The movie really focuses on their boyish enthusiasm like when one posts up in a treehouse and smiles when he makes his first kill and of the absurdity of the death and destruction with stark vblack and white photography.

Watched as part of my Criterion Challenge 2025!

Looks great, very well crafted. Western civilization was built on the myth that honor and greatness can be earned with an astonishing feat or two (or maybe just by telling a good tale?), but it's always just bestowed upon by the powers that be. Greatness does not equal goodness. True honor takes surrender. Those last fifteen minutes really tie the movie together and Patel really brings it.

The more I think about this movie, the more I see it grappling with. I think it would definitely benefit from another watch.