A WWII veteran escapes his care home in Northern Ireland and embarks on an arduous but inspirational journey to France to attend the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, finding the courage to face the ghosts of his past.
Chuck says:
Based on the story of Bernard Jordan, a British World War II veteran who left the nursing home where he lived to attend the 70th anniversary D-Day festivities, Terry Loane’s “The Last Rifleman” walks a fine line to deliver a genuinely moving tale. Pierce Brosnan, a fit 70 years of age manages to convince as Artie Crawford, the 93-year-old AWOL vet who will stop at nothing to reach the French shore.
With no means of transportation, Crawford’s journey is fraught with difficulties. Busting out by sneaking into a departing laundry van, he relies on the kindness of many strangers, taking a bus, train and ferry to his destination. A health scare or two occur along the way as well, but Crawford’s determination trumps every obstacle he encounters.
Meeting fellow vets along the way, Crawford’s journey is as much into his past and it is to Normandy. Flashbacks are provided that not only portray his horrific war experience, but also serene days spent with his friends Charlie and Maggie. Their importance to him is slowly revealed, as is the true reason for his sojourn. Coming to terms with not only his days of combat but other regrets, his journey is one of healing, his final destination a reckoning.
Brosnan has always been a dependable and capable actor, but here he digs deeper than he ever has, delivering a truly moving performance that never panders to the audience. Avoiding a maudlin approach, “Rifleman” proves to be an unexpectedly moving story of reconciliation in which the importance of “healing thyself” is delivered with a deft, effective touch.
3 1/2 Stars
