Reuniting with his Vietnam War buddies, Marine Sal Nealon (Bryan Cranston) and Reverend Richard Mueller (Laurence Fishburne), Former Navy Corpsman Larry “Doc” Shepherd (Steve Carell) goes on a mission to bury his solider son.
Why It’s A Good Option for Bryan Cranston Fans: Though it flew under the radar upon release, Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying is a wonderfully delicate, thoughtful, and mature character-based dramedy with the added benefit of its terrific trio of lead performances from Steve Carrell, Bryan Cranston, and Laurence Fishburne.
While Carell’s refrained, commendably contemplative performance is the movie’s anchor, Cranston’s rambunctious, outspoken persona works well as his opposite, showcasing his entertaining talents for playing broad, attention-grabbing characters.
While some critics dismissed his high-energy performance, it balances the buddy dynamic between Carell’s grief-filled character and Fishburne’s evaluative reverend well, providing a dependably lively, engaging presence.