Movie Paper
One of the recent movies that I have personally loved watching is Thank You For Your Service, written and directed by Jason Hall. The film was released in 2017 and is a biographical depiction of war scenario. It is similar to a non-fiction book that has the same time and was written by David Finkel. The author of the non-fiction book focused on the war veterans especially those belonging to the 2nd Battalion of the 16th Infantry Regiment. The veterans were returning to Kansas after serving time in Iraq for 15 months. The movie focuses on Adam Schumann and two of his friends, Solo Aeiti and Billy Waller. Billy Waller commits suicide as soon as he gets home because his fiancée takes his money and his child. All in all, the movie is based on the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder that follows these veterans after they return home and the sufferings that break them down both mentally and spiritually.
Since World War I, an essential aspect regarding the effects of war is that the veterans undergo drastic changes after being on the battlefield. The term shell shock came forward after veterans were reported to have been acting oddly upon returning home. Adam is unable to distinguish between the real and the unreal. He appears to be alright at the beginning of the movie, but as time passes, he starts seeing visions he cannot describe. His first few days home can be seen as a good sign as he can spend time with his kids and his wife. But soon after his friend Billy commits suicide, Adam breaks down emotionally and begins to reveal symptoms of PTSD. Not being able to understand what Billy was going through, reminds Adam of the time he was unable to save Emory. His guilt brings out the flashbacks of the wartime and changes his behaviour. He tries to make himself better by the end of the movie by contacting the rehabilitation centre and overcoming the guilt.
The movies meaning reflects the effects of war experiences that the veterans undergo and how they need to be looked after when they are back in the routine. The veterans that put their life at risk to keep the people back at home safe should receive an appraisal for their deeds, and while praising them, they should be given proper treatments to cure their PTSD. Adam’s behaviour is similar to those veterans that suffer from PTSD and do not receive the appropriate care and treatment that they deserve. He struggles with his demons while staying near his family. However, the incident of dropping his baby forces him to leave his house and commit suicide.
The movie targets the veterans as they have been neglected by the government when it comes to treating their problems that are related to war. While Adam’s suicidal intentions correlate with his war experience, such people should not be left on their own as they not only harm themselves but can also hurt the people in their immediate surroundings. Solo is an example of such a case where people are unable to control their frustration, and while hallucinating the war experience, they can hurt their family like Solo breaks down everything in the house. The movie shows how the rehabilitation centres are less in number while the number of veterans increases each year to the point that most often the veterans commit suicide.
From the above discussion, it becomes evident that treating PTSD is the highest priority especially for veterans who have experienced the horrors of war. The movie is an accurate depiction of the current state of the veterans. They require treatment and care as soon as they come home. By providing the veterans with treatment and letting them spend some months in rehabilitation, they will function like ordinary people and access the situation without being stressed about it.
