When US marine Captain Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) is presumed killed in action in Afghanistan, the process of healing brings spouse Grace (Natalie Portman) and black-sheep brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) closer together in this contemporary home-front melodrama. A fairly faithful remake of a fine 2004 Scandinavian film, it shows that the story is arguably even more relevant in the setting of an American military town, where the siblings' ex-soldier father (Sam Shepard) is as proud of Sam's service record as he is withering towards Tommy's shiftless ways. Director Jim Sheridan (In the Name of the Father) has a justifiable reputation for getting the best out of his performers, and while he creates a wholly convincing sense of a family tested almost beyond resilience, he also cajoles standout work from Gyllenhaal as the wastrel who finally realises that no-one else is going to do his growing up for him. If the other key performances were just as persuasive, this might be something really special, yet a slightly bland Portman and an overwrought Maguire rather highlight the contrived turns in the plotting of what is a thoroughly respectable effort, but one that is not all it could have been.

When his helicopter goes down during his fourth tour of duty in Afghanistan, Marine Sam Cahill is presumed dead. Back home, brother Tommy steps in to look over Sam’s wife, Grace, and two children. Sam’s surprise homecoming triggers domestic mayhem.