Essay On The Deer Hunter

Thankfully, I had been able to keep myself spoiler free as it relates to “The Deer Hunter.” For a movie with this reputation and fame, I was quite proud of the fact that I hardly knew what it was about, how it ended or even how its famous Russian roulette scene climaxes. I was excited to finally see this movie, in small part because it was the last film I needed to see to have watched every best picture winner from the 1970s. But, to put it bluntly, “The Deer Hunter” disappointed me.

This film is set during the Vietnam War. It follows a group of friends from a small, industrial Pennsylvania town. Half of the men of the group goes to war, while the other half stays home. Michael (Robert De Niro), Steven (John Savage) and Nick (Christopher) are the three men who go to war. Stan (John Cazale) George Dzundza (John) and Chuck Aspegren (Axel) are the three who stay home, along with Nick’s girlfriend Linda (Meryl Streep) and Steven’s new wife Angela (Rutanya Alda). The film chronicles how war changes those who experienced it, including how they interact with their friends once they return.

De Niro is very good in the lead role as Michael. He is totally convincing throughout the movie, bringing authenticity to the role. He has a certain enigmatic quality and stoicism that serves the character well, especially in the

That first hour is all about character development, I understand, showing us the characters interact. But it’s all done too slowly, with a lot of wasted time. There are a handful of important moments, such as when the guys get off work and go to the bar or when Michael can’t take his eyes off Linda at Steve’s wedding, but they come amidst a clinic in gratuitousness. So much of that first hour didn’t do much for me when it came to understanding the characters, in part because I was so bored that those moments only sparked a brief interest that was subsequently quashed by Russian