Today we finally got to watch Rex, it’s a biopic of US Marine Megan Leavey. The film was in fact called Megan Leavey in the US when it was released nearly a year ago, so it had been quite a wait for us.
Our initial concerns were that this film could be a fluffy piece like another service dog film called Max, but those fears were removed when we found the director was Gabriela Cowperthwaite who made the incredible killer whale documentary Blackfish.
We start the film with Megan (Kate Mara) not really going anywhere in her life, she lives at home with her mother (Edie Falco) and her new partner (Will Patton) with neither she feels a real bond. Stuck in a dead-end job and at a loss following the death of her best friend she signs up for the US Marines.
Initially, this does not seem like will move her life any further any forward from the rut it is in until she is inspired by the service dogs. Her instructor (played by Common) jokingly says yes, knowing her attitude is wrong but this is all the motivation she needs.
Soon Megan aces all the obstacles she was facing, including becoming top of her class at target practice that she returns to the dog enclosure. Reluctantly she is allowed into the programme but given no more than a box to train!
An opportunity arises when Max bites his trainer, leaving him in need of a new handler. Thinking this be her beating, Max is passed to Meghan but quickly they build a bond as she excels, thanks to many of her fellow handlers, in particular, Dean (Tom Felton) who helps her along the way.
It is after this the film just gets more and more powerful, we see Max in service, as he bravely sniffs out the bomb threat on missions, Megan reveals the real reason her friend died to another soldier, Morales (Ramon Rodriguez) who she sparks up a romantic relationship with and the life-changing event that was the inspiration to make this film.
Whilst on patrol, Megan and Rex are impacted by a bomb that goes off leaving both injured. After a brief stint of recovery, Meghan decided to un-enlist but asking if she can adopt Rex, fearing he has a form of PTSD, amongst wanting to give a safe home to her K9 best friend who saved her life.
However, this is stopped when a vet deems Rex unadoptable when he snaps at her, Megan believes this is because the dog was handled were he had been injured.
The film then follows her desperate quest to be reunited with Rex, having initially gone back to the life she was in before the Marines, with the support of her father (Bradley Whitford) who she goes to live with. Ths happens after her mother gets her a puppy thinking that could replace her dog.
She challenges protocol; US Senators and rings every day until she eventually learns her fate with Rex, always referring to Rex as a fallen soldier and more than a dog.
This film without question will make our top 10 of the year, it is inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time, we would highly recommend this film even if not a dog lover, but clearly dog lovers will devour this film as it shows the incredible love and bond between ourselves and our K9 best friends.
You can get the film here from Amazon
You can view the trailer here:
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