The foxholes from which this ambitious, thoughtful film derives its title are not literal. Not exactly. But the metaphor of military soldiers being squeezed together in a small and somewhat hopeless space is apt.
The producers say the story takes place over 36 hours, but that part doesn’t matter – the cool narrative element is that the story takes place over the course of three different wars, using the same four actors:
Andi Matichak (HALLOWEEN), James Le Gros (DRUGSTORE COWBOY, MILDRED PIERCE), Alex Hurt (Netflix’s BONDING), and Angus O’Brien (THE KITCHEN). Go from the Cival War at the film’s start, into the trenches of World War I, and finally the hot desert of Iraq.
It’s a dialog-heavy script – there isn’t much scenic detail. In fact the final story takes place almost entirely in a Humvee that’s been rocked by an IED, leaving the soldiers to contemplate their fates, joke about significant others and argue over what CD gets played on the makeshift boom box. There is, however, an abundance of tension that keeps the film humming, even absent more physical action.
In the first two parts, race plays a part in the discussions and interactions. Motell Foster, a noted African-American actor, arguably must show the most range – going from a Union soldier who learns that having a blue uniform isn’t going to stop his fellow troops from calling him the N-word. In WWI his character can be more assertive but still has to use cunning to get by. By the third act, he is the Sargent in charge of the troops in the ill-fated Humvee.
The other actors also acquit themselves nicely, transitioning from war to war.
Is there a great big, over-arching storyline with unforeseen plot twists and grand set pieces? Nope. In fact, this would make for a good stage play. It’s all about subtle facial expressions, not so subtle conversations and scared young men, wrestling with their mortality and shifting in small segments back and forth between being proud to do their duty and wondering what the hell it’s all for.
Written, directed and edited by Jack Fessenden, Foxholes is a solid art house release that avoids having its unusual set-up feel like a cheap gimmick.
Foxhole | 3 1/2 out of 4 Stars | Rated R| In Theatres or watch Now On These Streaming Platforms
