Megan Leavey

Name: Megan Leavey
Genre: Biography, Drama, War
Released: June 9, 2017
Duration: 116 min
Rating: 66
Cast: Bradley Whitford, Common, Damson Idris, Edie Falco, Geraldine James

2017

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Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 48 Ratings

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6.8

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6.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 48 Ratings

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Megan Leavey: Common On The Effects Of War

Now Playing: Megan Leavey: Common On The Effects Of War

Movie Details & Credits

Bleecker Street Media | Release Date: June 9, 2017 | PG-13

Starring: Bradley Whitford, Common, Damson Idris, Edie Falco, Geraldine James, Jonathan Howard, Kate Mara, Miguel Gomez, Ramón Rodríguez, Tom Felton, Will Patton

Summary: Megan Leavey is based on the true life story of a young marine corporal (Kate Mara) whose unique discipline and bond with her military combat dog saved many lives during their deployment in Iraq. When she is assigned to clean up the K9 unit after a disciplinary hearing, Leavey identifies with a particularly aggressive dog, Rex, and is givenMegan Leavey is based on the true life story of a young marine corporal (Kate Mara) whose unique discipline and bond with her military combat dog saved many lives during their deployment in Iraq. When she is assigned to clean up the K9 unit after a disciplinary hearing, Leavey identifies with a particularly aggressive dog, Rex, and is given the chance to train him. Over the course of their service, Megan and Rex completed more than 100 missions until an IED explosion injures them, putting their fate in jeopardy. … Expand

Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, War

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 116 min

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Critic Reviews

RogerEbert.com Sheila O'Malley

Jun 9, 2017

Megan Leavey is that rare breed: a war movie that actually shows something new about war, a sub-culture within a familiar sub-culture, the world of the military's K-9 units. For that alone, it should be applauded. Read full review

Peter Keough

Jun 7, 2017

Perhaps it’s just as well that other issues remain in the background and the film focuses instead on the bond between Leavey and Rex. Not only is it a compelling metaphor for a woman finding independence and empowerment, it dramatizes a primal emotional relationship that proves heartbreaking and triumphant. Read full review

Steve Persall

Jun 12, 2017

Megan Leavey does the feel-good job everyone intends, an interesting story straightforwardly told. Cowperthwaite and Mara won't get a fraction of Wonder Woman's audience yet deserve as much respect. Read full review

Bill Goodykoontz

Jun 8, 2017

Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite keeps things moving, but her stripped-down approach is more effective in creating the world of the characters than in showing us how they interact inside it. Read full review

Johanna Schneller

Jun 8, 2017

Unfortunately, the film also wants to show us what happens to veterans, both human and canine, when they return home and here it loses its way. The stateside scenes meander so much, you’ll find yourself in the unlikely position of wishing we were back in Iraq. Read full review

Katie Walsh

Jun 8, 2017

Animals make for good screenwriting devices, as characters can speak their inner feelings to them, but that doesn't make for the most subtle or efficient screenwriting. Read full review

Kenji Fujishima

May 30, 2017

Everyone here, from fellow marines to Iraqis, is merely a supporting player in Megan Leavey's emotional journey. Read full review

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User Reviews

Lebleena

Apr 20, 2021

I loved this movie. Great courage shown by war hero Corporal Leavey in her service and by her fellow war hero Rex. I appreciated the photographs, chronology of their stories, and characters. Moving portrayal. This is a meaningful film that captures the many faces of brain injury and traumaI loved this movie. Great courage shown by war hero Corporal Leavey in her service and by her fellow war hero Rex. I appreciated the photographs, chronology of their stories, and characters. Moving portrayal. This is a meaningful film that captures the many faces of brain injury and trauma of PTSD. War heroes can bring comfort to one another. True testament of the strong connection between animals and humans. Thank you for bringing this true story to life in film!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Bigref

Jun 12, 2017

Do not believe the negative reviews. One which I read is reviewing the Iraq War, not the movie. The movie is apolitical and presents a real world, real woman in a realistically heroic role. I would rather take my daughter to Megan Leavey than Wonder Woman.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

EludiumQ36

Aug 28, 2017

Kate Mara, recently of "Morgan", does an outstanding job portraying Megan in this true-to-life Marine canine-corps soldier. Great date-film to watch with your gf/wife since they typically love dogs. Yes, it's a tear-jerker so keep the tissues nearby. I very rarely give out a "9" rating soKate Mara, recently of "Morgan", does an outstanding job portraying Megan in this true-to-life Marine canine-corps soldier. Great date-film to watch with your gf/wife since they typically love dogs. Yes, it's a tear-jerker so keep the tissues nearby. I very rarely give out a "9" rating so you know this is a special one.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

LeZee

Feb 4, 2018

At the end, every hero's life should be 'happily ever after'!

From the director of 'Blackfish'. It could have been another fine documentary, in the end it was a right choice to be made as a feature film. This is a biographical film, a war drama. The story of a young woman who joined the USAt the end, every hero's life should be 'happily ever after'!

From the director of 'Blackfish'. It could have been another fine documentary, in the end it was a right choice to be made as a feature film. This is a biographical film, a war drama. The story of a young woman who joined the US army and developed a close relationship with a military dog. They both served in the Iraq war and later separated. So she fought for the dog's custody, especially after it retiring from the service. A touching story about man- animal bonding. You might have seen many dog films, but this is different and so good.

People have rights to choose what they want to be. Most importantly, they can change the field at any time. At least that's how things happen in a democracy. But that's not the case for animals, especially human pets under any kind of the ruling system. Why should animals fight human wars! There were many kinds of animal slaveries abolished, yet this kind of legal things still going on. In the present world, it could be okay, but as an animal lover, I hope in the near future, it'll be called inhumane.

Anyhow, this is a must watch if you are a pet/dog lover. If you ever had a dog, you will feel more connected to it. The story was told from Megan Leavey's perspective, but Rex, the dog was the real hero. Both, the real and film dog. I have seen many films of Kate Mara, but when it comes dominant performance, this is the one. This is not a multi- star cast as her most of the film, so she did an awesome job. Slightly emotional too, a good film for all ages. Particularly this is a chic film that's not a romance or a comedy. Equivalent to any men's films.

8/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DawdlingPoet

Nov 22, 2021

I thought this film was very good. It features a great performance from Kate Mara as Megan Leavey. It seemed quite realistic, in terms of the bonding that took place between Megan and her dog. I liked the story it told, how she found a new purpose and bond and how she dealt with things.I thought this film was very good. It features a great performance from Kate Mara as Megan Leavey. It seemed quite realistic, in terms of the bonding that took place between Megan and her dog. I liked the story it told, how she found a new purpose and bond and how she dealt with things. There's not a great deal that can be said without risking giving spoilers but I did feel it was quite a well thought out film, with a good plot, great main performance. There were one or two aspects which were a little bit cheesy and I also felt the plot was a bit slow to build up, pace wise, perhaps but otherwise there's little to criticise really.

For the most part, it seemed quite genuine and heartfelt and so I'd recommend this film to others on that basis, if not least due to the fact that it is based on a true story, which makes it even more interesting and perhaps thought provoking. Alsp I'd like to add that its more about the bond between dog handler and dog than it is about war itself, I'd say.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

CoKronakan

Apr 4, 2018

I went in to watching this movie, with zero expectations, and I guess that is the reason that this movie over delivered. This movie isn't THE best movie, by all means, it has fault, don't get me wrong. But it is a more than decent movie. It's a nice depiction of the marines, and the personsI went in to watching this movie, with zero expectations, and I guess that is the reason that this movie over delivered. This movie isn't THE best movie, by all means, it has fault, don't get me wrong. But it is a more than decent movie. It's a nice depiction of the marines, and the persons serving there. It's also does a very good job painting the emotions between the dog (Rex) and Megan, which is a very important element here. Great acting by Kate Mara, and amazing story for the veterans. Overall it's a good movie, but somewhat boring sometimes so this means the pacing is off a little bit in the first half of the movie.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

carldamnit

Jun 14, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It bothers me that a dog can get more compassion than some of the other human beings in this piece of crap movie. Ramon Rodriguez is hot. Edie Falco's scenes were the most entertaining and I thought hers was by far the most reasonable character in the movie. Yeah, get a new dog! You wear make up in the desert at war, you must like make up enough to deserve getting that as a present. Stupid movie. Yeah, get a cute little puppy that "wasn't just blown up" as Megan so glibly put it. Lots of times I laughed cause of how glibly stuff was talked about. Oh, you have physical therapy from the explosion? You don't look like you're in pain at all! Like, she jumps onto the guy, not a care in the world, one second, and the next she's in horrible pain. Is she supposed to be brave because she can handle so much pain and look like she's not in any pain whatsoever? And I didn't like the way the Iraqi people were treated and what it might mean that a movie like this would portray soldiers as being that aggressive, like them acting that way would be a good thing. I spent a lot of the movie thinking about how annoying it is that the military presence in another person's backyard might be some woman's coming of age story. And her stupid dog. It's a dog! A war hero? It's a dog. They have the dogs do that because they're dogs. Right?… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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