Parents' Guide to

Last Flag Flying

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Very funny, deeply moving, mature story of loss and regret.

Movie R 2017 124 minutes
Last Flag Flying Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 18+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Pres
Pres Adult
February 9, 2020
age 18+

Adult content with no redeeming qualities

I had high hopes for this film but it was such a disappointment. The dialogue about the whorehouse was extremely graphic and was so unnecessary. Definitely for adults.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Pats25
Pats25 Adult
January 6, 2020
age 18+

Not much redeeming about this movie

Just about the only thing I found redeeming about this movie was Larry's (S Carrell) love for his son, the descriptions about what kind of son Larry, Jr. was and what kind of father Larry was, and the preacher's wife. While we know (and have known) characters like Sal, we tired of him very quickly because of his foul personality and found it difficult to like him. The whole scene on the train when they talked about whorehouses and h***-ons was just unnecessary in my opinion, or at least too long and graphic. The preacher (Fishburne) was a disappointment and failure as a character who had the opportunity to bring something more to the film. We didn't appreciate the (at times) anti-military feel to it, either. In the end, not even sure what this movie was trying to say.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In LAST FLAG FLYING, former Navy Corps medic Larry "Doc" Shepherd (Steve Carell) arrives in a bar. It's 2003, and the bar is owned by his old friend, ex-Marine Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston). After a night of drinking, Doc takes Sal to see another old friend and ex-Marine, Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne), who's now a reverend. The three men once served together in Vietnam, and now Doc has a favor to ask. He wants his friends to come with him to claim the body of his dead son, who was killed in the Iraq War. But after learning more about his son's death, Doc decides not to bury him in Arlington Cemetery and asks his friends to help take him home to New Hampshire. Along the way, the three men share memories, laughs, tears, and regrets.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (3):
Kids say: Not yet rated

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.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Last Flag Flying's themes and messages. What is it trying to say? Does it succeed?

  • Do you consider these characters role models? Why or why not? How does the movie convey the importance of empathy?

  • How does the movie depict drinking and substance use? What about sex?

  • If you've read either of Darryl Ponicsan's books about these characters -- or seen the movie The Last Detail -- how do they compare to this film?

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