This film from 2007 is set in a near future where the draft has been reinstated.As in life & fiction all these stories must be about a trio,no matter whether it is a comedy, drama or musical.Our three buddies are in their late 20's,they even went to the same High School (STUYVESNT-one of the highest rated public High Schools).BTW I am a graduate of same High SchoolThey are very well acted by Elijah Wood, he is in the middle of writing his second novel.Chris Klien as an successful married attorney, and Don Berenthal a taxi driver.They all receive there draft notices the same day. How the 3 of them react to this event & the war is the crux of the story. Ginnifer Goodwin & Elizabeth Moss are the wife & girl friend of 2 of them. Ally Sheedy has a nice few scenes as a shrink.Bryan Gunner Cole in his first feature directorial effort shows promise.The script is by Robert Malkani,there are more than a few script problems.The movie runs only 90 minutes but the last 30 are at a crawl pace.I question the very last scene with Elijah,I wonder what was the reason to do what he did.The film had a very short 2 screen run for 2 weeks in Jan.2008 It deserved a better release than this, Granted this is my standard gripe. Half way decent films like this are short shrift-ed, BUT stupid moronic comedies open in over 2000.Ratings: *** (out of 4) 81 points(out of 100) IMDb 7 (out of 10)

AFTER reading some viewers reviews HERE I DECIDED to watch this feature because it is reportedly "balanced". after i DID watch it, at least i know which style and type of posts i should be avoiding from now on...straight to the point, this is a PRO- war movie( very cunning, i give it that). it definitely targets young "stand-up" guys and attempts to give people a subconscious reason as why we have to AGREE with what is going on( even have a speech about "choices" people have in America and take it for granted because the youth is the "pussy" generation apparently).basically the whole thing consists of 3 youngsters in their struggle to accept the draft or not. by the time end scene IS happening , the movie has transmitted its propagandistic vibe. while it starts with a very much ANTI- war vibe it leads the viewer to believe that there is ONLY one way.this movie paves the WAY to drafting legislation. (i doubt that will happen simply because this administration will prefer private armies ,"blackwater" for example, that are not responsible to the any international tribunals upon killing civilians)it is doing so by TRYING to make choice easier for you to the point you actually could believe that it IS your choice for the "best"."are you man enough"." the survival of the fittest" , etc... the director forgets that today's youth are BETTER informed then the previous generation and playing with people feelings, in well to know "i am with you" manner. will not get the message across.( apparently, you left someone to its fate like being raped, you have to fix that by going to war to "man-up". people can do that easily here by throwing this administration out of the office as well no?). at one point it even tells new-yorkers that they should be more concerned with doing the "first-strike" because they would be the first target if "someone" acquires "weapons of mass-destruction"( so wait... this actually must be about Iran since everyone knew, by the time this feature was produced,that Iraq had no such "evil" things?). what a DEEP INSULT TO THE 9/11 VICTIMS Memory!another interesting observation is that while playing with the idea of deserting, the option is never considered out of FEAR. well guess what, i am in Toronto, Canada , and we have many American deserters here and they do not seem "pussies" at all. by contrary they are OUTSPOKEN, just as any FREE individual DOES INDEED HAVE THE CHOICE TO do in a democracy. i quiet had a laugh at this aspect particularly.this has been marketed as an "indy" film. i assure it is not.IF the subject matter would been different and not propagandistic i would give this production a 6-7 due to good acting but slower towards the end( another observation point i have in spotting propaganda; when the movie slows down towards end to make sure your sentiments and feelings can properly have a meltdown, get you to sleep, hypnotize, and make your dreams play the role of influencing your conscious when waking up).well, you can TRY to enjoy it if you already have made-up your mind. good luck with that.

It's 30 days before DAY ZERO, when three friends are to be drafted into the army during the raging war in Iraq. They react to the news and somehow come to terms with reality. On this simple (even thin) premise, Brian Cole crafts a well balanced 90 minutes, which manages to cloud a specific or biased point-of-view. Sure, there's anti-war clambering and patriotic posturing. There's plenty of flag waving and flag burning, but this film is not about the draft or serving one's country. As a reviewer who has already been drafted to face a war (in Viet-nam) and had to grapple with decisions that would ultimately shape the remainder of my life, I know this film is about "the inner self"—the draft being the catalyst and the reactions mere symptoms to the rumbling of the human spirit or the lack there of.The three stars carry the film a long way and beyond. Chris Klein as George Rifkin represents the majority view, that the draft is a life interrupter. One never gets the impression that George is a coward. He just wants to continue his law practice, enjoy his family and wife; and ultimately, his anti-draft stance festers from resentment to anger. Jon Bernthal as James Dixon represents the patriotic view, that "it had to happen sooner or later," and everyone should stand up and fight terrorism. He is a violent and disturbed man, short fused and drives a taxi for a living, quite a contrast from George. He imprints his views on his friends without hesitation, but when he meets a girl, his views are somewhat tempered. Elijah Wood, in his best performance on screen to date (yes, even better than Mr. Baggins), plays Aaron Feller, a naïve, fragile man, who has just published his first novel and is working on the second. He is thrown into a panic by the draft notice. He looks for help in all the right places, and doesn't find it. He then looks in all the wrong places, and does. He manages to face his inner demon and takes the appropriate corrective action.The three friends interact with great chemistry. While Wood carries the film's main theme and presents it with pathos and comedy, the more political and preachy messages come from Klein and Bernthal. Bernthal's raging approach to life is engaging. He is always there for his friends, but not without cost. He chews up the scenery. Klein, on the other hand, gets the more conventional row to hoe, with everything from draft dodger to conscientious objector. He whines and bleats and tears his hair out (figuratively. Wood loses his, literally). Between Bernthal and Klein, we have Macbeth and King Lear, so it is up to Wood to bring the real interest. He crafts his character from thin air, as his scenes are mostly interspersed vignettes that are visually appealing and pathetically comic. In fact, Wood's sense of comedic timing matches the great stars of cinema, like Chaplin. He takes us from entertaining comic relief to riveting drama as Aaron takes a roller coaster ride from naïve to psychosis in 30 days to Day Zero.This film has only been screened at the Tribeca Film Festival, where I am sure it will win awards and be picked up by a distributor (if not, the film industry is blind). It demonstrates that in the hands of a thinking director, three strong actors can create storms in tea cups. It also provides the viewing audience with Elijah Wood's best of many great performances on celluloid, and for an actor nearing his 40th film, it is a landmark. AEdward C. Patterson

I saw "Day Zero" twice during its run at the Tribeca Film Festival and would have welcomed a third viewing. From seeing the trailer at the film's website (http://www.dayzerothemovie.com/) I knew the story dealt with future reinstatement of the military draft in the United States and how three friends spent the thirty days between receiving draft notices and reporting for duty. I was immediately drawn into the film and the lives of these men; I cared about them and what they were going through. The film is character driven and director Bryan Gunnar Cole succeeds brilliantly in getting inspired performances from the talented, but mostly not well-known (to me, at least) cast.Chris Klein very convincingly plays George, an upwardly mobile New Yorker, who at a young age, has recently made partner in a prestigious law firm. He does not want to jeopardize his career, does not support the war still playing out in the Mideast and diligently searches for ways to dodge the draft. He considers everything from seeking the help of his influential father to self-mutilation – an edge-of your-seat scene. Nor does he want to leave his wife (Ginnifer Goodwin) who has just been declared cancer-free after a five-year battle.Jon Bernthal is excellent as Dixon, a street-smart cab driver who willingly defends his friends with his fists, but is the solid, caring anchor in the life of a young girl in his building who prefers spending time with him to dealing with her drug addled mother. Sofia Vassilieva is marvelous as the young Mara and I fully expect to see more great work from her in the future. Dixon is eager to serve, which causes friction with his friends' opposing beliefs, but falling in love (Elizabeth Moss) suddenly complicates his life.The very talented Elijah Wood (and best-known cast member) once again displays the amazing versatility we've seen in all his post-"Lord of the Rings" films. His character, Aaron, is the most interesting and complex. He's a young writer with a successful book who is working against a deadline on his second book. He's clueless, out of shape, bewildered, estranged from his family and in his seventh year of sessions with an apathetic, inept psychiatrist (well done by Ally Sheedy.) He's also certain his draft notice is a death sentence. As Aaron attempts to toughen up and complete his 10-item "to do" list before going off to war, Wood provides some wonderful moments of comedy, which appear in all the right places."Day Zero" is ensemble acting at its best and cinematographer Matthew Clark's extensive use of a hand-held camera is perfect for creating a you-are-there empathy with the characters. This is a terrific film that pulls you in and makes you wonder, "What would I do?" It is not a political film; it's a perfectly cast people film and you will love these people. I hope it gets a distributor and the wide release it deserves.