Buffalo Soldiers

Released: August 21 2003
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Anna Paquin, Brian Delate, Elizabeth McGovern
Director: Gregor Jordan
Genre: Comedy/Crime/War/Drama
Rated: MA 15+
Running Time: 98 Minutes


Steal all that you can steal. A story so outrageous you couldn't make it up.

Synopsis:
Set just before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, this is the story of a criminal drug culture among U.S. Army soldiers, focusing on Sgt. Ray Elwood (Joaquin Phoenix), the clerk to the battalion commander, Colonel Berman (Ed Harris). What Ray doesn't know is that there is an investigation working its way in his direction, even as he is falling in love with the daughter, Robyn (Anna Paquin), of the soldier, Sgt. Lee (Scott Glenn), of the man who's tipping the investigation off about Ray.


My Verdict:
Buffalo Soldiers has been withheld from release for a few years due to the sensitive nature of the story. Miramax signed to secure this movie on September 10, 2000. Obviously they couldn't release it then and held the release over until they decided in 2003 they would bite the bullet (pun intended) and go ahead. Finally, we get to see what the fuss is all about. This could have been a movie about any army and the sub-cultures that exist within it.

Buffalo Soldiers is about a particular group of US Army Soldiers who have devised various ways to relieve their boredom as they are not in active combat. The black market is particularly rife with Elwood (a relaxed effort from Joaquin Pheonix) right up there in the mix, making deals 24 hours day. Elwood had a choice - the army or a prison term for a crime he committed back home in the USA. He chose the army thinking it would be the easy life and so far he has succeeded. He has his commander, Colonel Berman, totally duped (played so wonderfully by Ed Harris) and is even bedding Colonel Berman's wife (Elizabeth McGovern doing a good job of the bored ambitious army wife). However, Elwood's life changes dramatically when Sgt. Lee and his daughter arrive. Sgt Lee (nice, terse Scott Glenn) is immediately onto Elwood and sets about to slowly destroy him, prolonging the pain, even more so when he finds Elwood and his daughter (a youngish-looking Paquin) may be falling for one another. And so, this soon develops into one of those army movies about the 'behind-the-scenes' events.

Buffalo Soldiers is a mix of genres, combining comedy with action, crime and a touch of drama. It works well and it isn't hard to believe that this may well have happened. There some truly funny moments in the film, the best being a rather amazing exercise involving army tanks. Imagine the driver of an army tank driving whilst under the influence of drugs!! It is absurd yet such a possibility.

Buffalo Soldiers may offend a few because it does show the army as being ignorant of the illegal behaviours of many of its men, although on the other hand, they may also know about it and be choosing to ignore it.


- Christina Bruce