Billy is a young soldier on a US victory tour with his squad after a heroic skirmish in Iraq. The narrative alternates between their recognition at a big football game and flashbacks to his family and his experiences in the military. The best thing about this film is the deeply nuanced and quietly sensitive portrayal of the title character by British actor Joe Alwyn. He manages to rise above the inert drama and endless preaching to bring emotion to his character (although he cries one time too many). The film’s message about the sacrifices of our soldiers and the politics of war keeps pounding back…ultimately, becoming tiresome. While the performances are effective and some of the scenes have impact, director Ang Lee substitutes copious tears and ardent closeups for real drama. (That skirmish with the stagehands was a contrived excuse to trigger a climax.)

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