You're a young black marine. You have 96 hours leave before being posted to Iraq for more than a year. How do you break the news to your family? What will you get up to in the last period of civilian life you'll have for a while? And will you trying calling that cute girl you met on the way back home? Decisions, decisions...
American Son is what I would refer to as a tepid drama. Everyone involved gives their all, and it all feels pretty realistic. It's just all a little too by-the-numbers for my liking, from the booze-filled parties he attends filled with clothes-shedding nymphets (don't these girls have any self respect) to the decision to inform all and sundry he's off just a few hours before departure. Cue the waterworks, before a quick acceptance. And if you think he's going to spend a bonk-filled final rendezvous with this young lady in a hotel he's known for all of three days... BANG! You win the internet!!
One last question: Our lead seems like a really nice guy... so why are all his friends complete jerks? If I was him, I would dump the lot.... and start afresh. Well, that's what we do with bad Scrabble letters, anyway.... 5/10
