Last Flag Flying

One of the best filmmakers of our time, Richard Linklater has done it again: This extremely funny, deeply affecting dramedy about loss and regret is handled with genuine simplicity and sincerity. Ever unpredictable but always concerning himself with profoundly human stories, Linklater (Bernie, Boyhood, Everybody Wants Some!!) found his inspiration in Darryl Ponicsan's novel Last Flag Flying, a sequel to the novel The Last Detail, which also inspired a much-loved 1973 movie by Hal Ashby. Last Flag Flying is similar in character and structure, and both are equally great.

With deceptive ease, Linklater builds each scene filled with talk, and yet the movie never seems too talky. (Think of the captivating conversations in Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight.) Its humble design takes advantage of wintertime (and Christmas) but takes place in trains, cars, waiting rooms, bars, and other ordinary locations. Only a giant airplane hangar filled with military coffins stands out. This atmosphere helps draw the characters together, and, thanks to three great performances (for once it's possible to forget all about Walter White while watching Cranston), they effortlessly make us laugh and cry. Best of all, we don't want to see them go.