Passchendaele

2008's "Passchendaele", written and directed by Paul Gross.

Starring Paul Gross, Caroline Dhavernas, Joe Dinico, Meredith Bailey, David Ley, Joe Desmond, Gil Gellows, and Adam Greyeyes.

What is it about?

Taking place over the events of WWI, "Passchendaele" introduces us to a soldier (Paul Gross). While fighting in Europe, he commits acts that he cannot forget, and is wounded. Gross returns to his home in Canada, and meets a nurse (Caroline Dhavernas) who helps him heal. Dhavernas herself has become an addict over the trauma of losing so many in the war, and Gross and her begin wooing each other. Dhavernas' brother, (Joe Dinico), who is disqualified from being able to fight overseas because of his asthma, wants to impress his girlfriend (Meredith Bailey)'s father (David Ley), and finds a way to enlist. Distraught over the possibility of losing another loved one, Dhavernas' lover Gross goes back to Europe to watch over Dinico, and Dhavernas also heads over to continue nursing. With the intense battle in the Flanders Fields of Passchendaele looming, will Gross be able to protect Dhavernas from more loss?

Why is it worth seeing?

Canadian Gross was moved by his grandfather's stories of fighting in WWI, and championed for Passchendaele to be made as the producer, actor, writer, and director. The movie's pivotal scene(s) at the ending prove to be quite intense, with mud, carnage, and death everywhere- a noble representation of what the Winnipeg Rifles went through in times of great strife. And Gross at times brings some of the sensibilities of the light hearted goofiness that he brought in spades in 2002's "Men with Brooms".

Unfortunately, the goofy tones jar very strangely with the seriousness of the subject matter. Gross' portrayal of the a carefree philosopher who then commits murder and says he's impacted but doesn't seem to have any physiological or behavioural reactions (to the phenomenon that would become known as Shell Shock and is now PTSD). It's tough to take a performance seriously if it doesn't match (somewhat) to the horror show of the first world war atrocities that society went through. Same for Dhavernas' nurse, who casually follows the boys to war in the medical tent (it's that easy). Her relationship with Gross is barely romantic, and looks at times like something more akin to a Narcotics Anonymous sponsor.

Gross' direction, saddled by the logistics of a !oh Canada! production, at times is as heavy handed in groaning symbolism as it is low budget looking (baffling given the $20 million budget). Things slog along, there is the climatic fight in Flanders Fields, and then a somewhat indifferent send off. While the before mentioned fight is intense, the movie overall lacks something that can take it over the line to make it an indispensable war film, such as passion.

Rating: 3/5

Trailer: Click Here.