Buffalo Soldiers

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Anna Paquin, Dean Stockwell
Directed by: Gregor Jordan
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Historical
Box Office: $354,421
2003

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: In West Berlin in 1989, an American solider (Joaquin Phoenix) tempts fate by selling in the black market and dating the daughter (Anna Paquin) of his tough new sergeant (Scott Glenn).

Review:

Tim: This is one of those movies with absolutely no likeable characters. There are no "good" guys here, just guys with different degrees of badness in them. I hate movies with no good guys- no one to root for. Surprisingly, I really liked this film. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't help but being entertained throughout the film.

The main reason I liked this movie was Joaquin Phoenix. He takes a character with no redeemable characteristics and makes him somehow likeable. It is difficult to explain, but while watching this unlikeable character, you find yourself rooting for him despite your inner objections. Scott Glenn matches up perfectly as the antagonist and is enjoyably hardnosed and very easy to hate. Perhaps we can root for Phoenix because we must root against Glenn.

The rest of the supporting cast is decent. Ed Harris plays his role with gusto, but there is really no reason for him to be in this film. Anna Paquin has no chemistry with Phoenix at all, but she is more watchable than she should be.

The plot for Buffalo Soldiers is pretty predictable, but the end, though absurd beyond any comparison, is strangely satisfying. This is perhaps the defining characteristic of this movie- you should not like it, but something about it draws you to it and at the end, you find yourself thinking that you didn't like it, but knowing that you actually did.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Gladiator, The Village, Signs, 8mm, 25th Hour, Training Day