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Day Zero
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 5 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 5 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Drama
Written by: Robert Malkani
Directed by: Bryan Gunnar Cole
Release Date:
Theatrical: January 18, 2008
DVD: February 26, 2008
Running Time: 92 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: R for language, sexual content, some violence and drug use
Starring Chris Klein, Jon Bernthal, Elijah Wood, Ginnifer Goodwin, Elisabeth Moss, Ally Sheedy, Sofia Vassilieva, and Zoe Lister Jones
Day Zero is a timely political and personal story of three young men as the military draft is reinstated. Three best friends, George a successful lawyer, Dixon a tough-as-nails cab driver, and Feller a writer with a host of insecurities, are drafted and given 30 days to report for duty. In that time they're forced to confront everything they believe about courage, duty, love, friendship and honor. (First Look Studios)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database View The Trailer Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
New York Daily News Jack Mathews
What's good about the idea is that it triggers the kind of debate we would be having over Iraq if there was a draft. What's bad about it is that the three main characters in Robert Malkani's script - anti-war lawyer George (Chris Klein), gung-ho cab driver Dixon (Jon Bernthal) and sissy novelist Aaron (Elijah Wood) - are not interesting, either as individuals or as three amigos.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Maitland McDonagh
The actors -- especially Klein and Bernthal -- deliver startlingly powerful performances.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Stephen Holden
Its view of the near future may be vaguely plausible and its performances persuasive, but its formulaic construction, internal inconsistencies and fuzzy ending undermine its integrity. It has nothing to say about the big issues -- manhood, war and friendship -- that hasn’t been explored with more depth and honesty in a hundred other movies.
Read Full Review >New York Post Kyle Smith
A lukewarm film about what might happen to three New York City friends if the draft were reinstated, proves that even the most controversial of topics can be the basis for the dullest indie films.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Ed Gonzalez
With ludicrous gravity and a narrow-minded view of courage and conviction, the film's what-if scenario is presented as a reality check to every ostensibly unimaginative male who's come of age in the draftless years since Vietnam.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 6.6 (out of 10) based on 5 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Whitney B. gave it a10:
I loved this film, but it is a slow-moving, psychological drama. If you're looking for a quick thriller, this isn't for you. All three of the main characters are portrayed exceedingly well, with the outcomes seeming the only sensible ones for the developing story. I loved the camerawork, the relationships, and Elijah Wood was amazing.
Stephen H. gave it a2:
This script plays like a made for cable TV drama with gutless screen writing that uses vainly formulaic gears to tweak the viewers emotions. it's like a swiss clock constructed by an apprentice who's only got 1 year in the shop. It doesn't work. Character development is so weak that it leads to boredom from the first minute. Another Indie film that dares to dream but delivers an wholly amateurish experience. Avoid this one and avoid a bad rental.
Chad S. gave it a7:
Stop me if you've heard this one before. A lawyer, a writer, and a cab driver walk into a bar to booze and bandy about the ongoing war. They're out-of-touch old friends who get-in-touch after all three men receive their draft notices. It won't be the last time they meet like this; lubricated, and in each other's grill, mano-a-mano, sparring about patriotism from a perspective determined by money and experience. Chances are, you haven't heard this one before. War is something our fathers, or our fathers' fathers partaked in. My generation had the choice to sit war out. My generation got a free ride is the prevailing message being telegraphed in "Day Zero", a nifty piece of alternative history that reimagines 9/11 as only the prelude to our war on terror. There's a second levelling, Los Angeles, and in reimagined America, rich men and poor men alike, as old as 35(yikes!), are called upon to fight against their will and better judgement. To be fair, each man regardless of his profile, are equally scared, equally flawed; no man is portrayed as John Wayne in "The Green Berets"; no man is burning to be relegated to bunkers and foxholes. But some people may find the movie's somewhat misguided agenda to canonize George(Chris Klein), a lawyer, of all people, a hero; while Feller(Elijah Wood), a writer, is saddled with the ignonimity of being a coward(not a conscientious objector, mind you, but a balls out-coward). Meanwhile, Dixon(Jon Bernthal), a cab driver, an everyman, who is neither a breadwinner nor an artist, acts as our eyes and ears, our judge and jury, as he performs the job of cornering the market on fair play. But George's awakening is of his own making. All of a sudden, he wants to be Ron Kovacs. In this sense, "Day Zero" is like the breech baby version of "Born on the Fourth of July".
Jay H. gave it a5:
A very promising film idea is given a very disappointing treatment. The filmmakers only scratch the surface of the characters and they are poorly developed. The acting isn't bad though and it has some good production values.
Chad C. gave it a9:
The "professional" reviews of this film are a travesty. No it's not a perfect film but what is? Don't tell the audience I saw this film with that it's anything other than amazing. Great performances, very thought provoking, timely, and highly recommended!
