Mjeteconer Just perfect...

Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

gregher This movie addresses the reality of our times. Its a movie that can take on a common thought for everyone in my generation. I am a 22 year old male who knows people who fight and have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. The reality of the draft can be overwhelming. I don't want to pretend that I have a unique perspective, because I think many people my age have adopted the same unique understanding that I have. What I am trying to say is that I treat our soldiers like everyone I know. There is so much tension in this world...with the economy, and with the war. You have to treat soldiers with the utmost respect, and this can only be done by sharing a relationship. This movie takes on the task of understanding the war without denying the truth. The truth is that men and women serve to protect our country, but what they go through emotionally is beyond our comprehension. As much as we can argue, the people who serve believe in our freedom. I want more movies like this that can address what goes on in the mind of the people who are willing to give their lives. Sometimes, a man doesn't know that he is willing.

gradyharp The Draft as a means for supplying the armed forces with manpower ended with the Vietnam War. DAY ZERO is a thought provoking film that raises the question of how today's youth would respond were the Draft reinstated as a result of the ever-growing Iraq War. Writer Robert Malkani and director Bryan Gunnar Cole respond to the question by creating three characters, long time friends, but each with a different response to the forced servitude in a wartime situation. As with any film dealing with controversial subject matter there are ideas presented that will disturb just about everyone no matter their stance on compulsive servitude, and it is that aspect that makes this film work so well in jolting our thinking.The time is New York, now, and the media has just announced the reinstatement of the Draft to cope with the drained national volunteer army. Three friends receive their draft notices simultaneously: successful lawyer George Rifkin (Chris Klein) whose marriage to a cancer survivor wife Molly (Ginnifer Goodwin) is part of the solid state of life he resists changing; fantasy writer Aaron Feller (Elijah Wood) who is in progress on a novel he must finish while his life is otherwise rather on shaky ground, controlled by his loopy therapist (Ally Sheedy); cab driver James Dixon (Jon Bernthal) who has a past history of being a loner and attempting to control violent behavior. The gamut runs from refusal to even consider the draft (Rifkin) to being nonplussed by the disruption to his psyche (Feller) to gung-ho ready to fight Dixon. The three young men have thirty days to Day Zero and in those thirty days each undergoes profound changes and introspection and self-discovery that very keenly illustrates the effect that such a governmental edict can have on today's youth.This is ensemble acting that rivals that of any fine film: there are no stars here, only actors portraying emotional changes that are universal in nature. And for a first film by director Cole it succeeds on most levels. In addition to the work of the four main actors there are fine cameos by young Sofia Vassilieva and by Elisabeth Moss. The film is meant to raise questions, challenge our current complacency and our views of the concept or war and military obligation. That it is disturbing is part of the power of the work. Grady Harp

Dan P This movie was entertaining. Am a guy that really only values entertainment when watching movies, yes their is a political agenda behind the plot. Especially in this political climate right before the elections, this movie could have an impact one way or another. Or just be food for thought, and create chit chat about the issue of the draft War coming back, a plausible premise. But I found the movie entertaining, to the point of being amused, and had quite a few chuckles and took it more like a movie that was intended to entertain than actual message movie.Spoiler alert parts that made me chuckle .Chris Klein character wants to bail out and he just got drafted, he figures into going into a gay bar(dude is married) and hooking up, because that way he will be able to avoid the draft, dude instead goes crazy in it.Elijah goes has a list of things to do and hooking up with a hooker part is quite amusing, and the kid literally goes insane around the movie. It was funny.Then we have the tough boy, that wants to go and kick some ass and feels his friends are cowards for not wanting to defend their country . He gets into it with anyone that doesn't agree. But the guy finds a love, and then you see a small transformation on the way he feels about going to War.The movie was entertaining, the premise is not that flawed, but the writers went a little bit over the top in a point of trying to get their point across. But was quite entertaining, it was supposed to be a message movie, I thought it was a funny movie, it just came across that way, but it was entertaining, that is why I give it a 7.

magicdancer I saw "Day Zero" twice during its run at the Tribeca Film Festival and would have welcomed a third viewing. From seeing the trailer at the film's website (http://www.dayzerothemovie.com/) I knew the story dealt with future reinstatement of the military draft in the United States and how three friends spent the thirty days between receiving draft notices and reporting for duty. I was immediately drawn into the film and the lives of these men; I cared about them and what they were going through. The film is character driven and director Bryan Gunnar Cole succeeds brilliantly in getting inspired performances from the talented, but mostly not well-known (to me, at least) cast.Chris Klein very convincingly plays George, an upwardly mobile New Yorker, who at a young age, has recently made partner in a prestigious law firm. He does not want to jeopardize his career, does not support the war still playing out in the Mideast and diligently searches for ways to dodge the draft. He considers everything from seeking the help of his influential father to self-mutilation – an edge-of your-seat scene. Nor does he want to leave his wife (Ginnifer Goodwin) who has just been declared cancer-free after a five-year battle.Jon Bernthal is excellent as Dixon, a street-smart cab driver who willingly defends his friends with his fists, but is the solid, caring anchor in the life of a young girl in his building who prefers spending time with him to dealing with her drug addled mother. Sofia Vassilieva is marvelous as the young Mara and I fully expect to see more great work from her in the future. Dixon is eager to serve, which causes friction with his friends' opposing beliefs, but falling in love (Elizabeth Moss) suddenly complicates his life.The very talented Elijah Wood (and best-known cast member) once again displays the amazing versatility we've seen in all his post-"Lord of the Rings" films. His character, Aaron, is the most interesting and complex. He's a young writer with a successful book who is working against a deadline on his second book. He's clueless, out of shape, bewildered, estranged from his family and in his seventh year of sessions with an apathetic, inept psychiatrist (well done by Ally Sheedy.) He's also certain his draft notice is a death sentence. As Aaron attempts to toughen up and complete his 10-item "to do" list before going off to war, Wood provides some wonderful moments of comedy, which appear in all the right places."Day Zero" is ensemble acting at its best and cinematographer Matthew Clark's extensive use of a hand-held camera is perfect for creating a you-are-there empathy with the characters. This is a terrific film that pulls you in and makes you wonder, "What would I do?" It is not a political film; it's a perfectly cast people film and you will love these people. I hope it gets a distributor and the wide release it deserves.