Movie about Army bomb squad earns Golden Globe nom
Published: December 15, 2009
While most military watchers are focused on Afghanistan and Illinois this morning, Hollywood unveiled some war news of its own: The film The Hurt Locker, which follows the lives of an explosive ordinance disposal team in Iraq, earned a Golden Globe nomination this morning for best dramatic film.
It's the first time an Iraq war movie has earned a best picture nomination for one of Hollywood's top awards; That's a big deal for some military leaders who griped that eight years into two wars much of the American public still has little appreciation for what troops are going through.
Director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal also received nominations for the film. The film has received rave reviews from critics for not only its action but also its portrayal of the stress and sacrifice of soldiers in war.
In an interview last summer, star Jeremy Renner told me he trained with EOD specialists at Fort Irwin in California to get ready for the role, with half of the time spent on the nuts-and-bolts of disassembling bombs and the rest spent learning how the soldiers view their jobs and themselves.
Sure, there's still plenty of Hollywood drama in the movie, he said, but he said he hoped the broader picture helped "bridge the gap between these guys and civilians" like himself who's only experience of the fighting overseas comes from movies and news reports.
The Golden Globes are handed out Jan. 17, and are seen as a bellwether for the Academy Award race.
[PHOTO: Summit Entertainment]
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