Directed and co-written by Richard Linklater, this is the sequel to the Vietnam film “The Last Detail” by Darryl Ponicsan, who authored both books and screenplays. It’s the story of Larry “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carrell), a Vietnam-era Navy vet with a bigger story, who seeks out Marine friends who share a past with him and each other, the wild, hard-drinkilng Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) and the former wild-man-turned-devout minister, Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne) when his son, a young Marine, dies in Iraq. These two sit like a competing chorus on his shoulders as he goes to claim his son’s body and then transport it for burial. The films a buddy movie, a road flick, and a film about both guilt, responsibility, and love. Mostly interesting and critically thoughtful, it devolves into a solemn praise for those who served/serve, regardless of whether the war is right or wrong. In so doing, it only barely avoids “my country right or wrong,” and that’s a problem. It also veers into sentimentality that damages a film that’s right on point when it’s at its roughest. I found myself jerking back as these Vietnam-era vets throw the racist words “gook” and “raghead” around as though they’re legitimate synonyms for Vietnamese and Iraqui/Arab. Perhaps this is to simply show the dehumanization of the ‘other’ but I don’t think they made that point well. Still, I’m glad I saw the film and greatly appreciated the chance to see these three pros work together. I also really liked J Quinton Johnson as the young Marine and best friend of Shepherd’s son who is sent with them to babysit and protect the casket and the honor of the Corps. Excellent work as well by Yul Vazquez as a Lt Colonel charged with dealing with families of the dead Marines and Cicely Tyson as the mother of a dead comrade from their Vietnam days who they visit in Boston