Grace is Gone

John Cusack plays the grieving and confused father of two young daughters who must let them know that their mom was killed in action in Iraq. Grace is Gone is one of those quiet, intense war movies that attract big stars (Marisa Tomei has a cameo and Clint Eastwood wrote the score), but this one is surprisingly devoid of political propaganda or finger-wagging moralism. At the same time, the film also lacks a cohesive theme. Reading the Netflix sleeve as the DVD loaded, I thought, "It must be incredibly difficult and sad to have to tell your kids that their mom died." After the movie, I thought, "Yep. It's really sad to see someone struggle about telling his kids that their mom died." There are some heartwarming moments, and the film feels surprisingly authentic given that the role is such a departure for Cusack. (And the actors playing his daughters are superb.)

The film's most lasting impression concerns the struggle Cusack's character has learning to communicate with his daughters. The war and the mom's death are red herrings to some degree as they provide a framework within which a father comes to grips with the difficulties of really being able to relate to young women. That's the universal part of the story. It doesn't matter really if their mom dies, or if she's off fighting in a war or working at the local bakery. To that extent, the film is engaging and thoughtful, but it still feels a little too much like a tear-jerker for tear-jerking's sake.