“Soldier’s heart,” now considered an anachronistic term, was defined as neurocirculatory asthenia, and the symptoms included chest pains, palpitation, and fatigue. What the words convey is that soldiers have always suffered the consequences of combat long after they have seen their last battle. It is a uniquely military experience, and cannot be shared with those who have not been so engaged. A pronounced byproduct of the Vietnam War was identification and acceptance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This disorder was quite common and often resulted in inadequate social integration upon return to civilian life following the war.

SOLDIER’S HEART is a complex, multigenerational tale of a father and son who went off to different wars and their responses to the circumstances they encountered. It addresses the ubiquitous journey from fear that is common among front line soldiers, and the cultural importance of remembering, even those events that evoked that fear in the first place.

In the director’s somewhat autobiographical film, Elliot, played by James Kiberd, long ago returned from war but drifted from one business scheme to another. In reality he is always searching for something that seems beyond his grasp. Like Elliot, his father too had some problems with reintegration into post WW II society. However, his generation did not have a formalized psychiatric diagnosis to fall back on. This led to a strained relationship between the two, more so than traditional father-son conflicts.

While the movie purports to generalize post-Vietnam PTSD, the reality of that war was the complexity and distinct differences that were experienced, based on geography, time and duration of exposure. The experiences of soldiers fighting in the mid-to-late 1960s were very different from those of the early 1970’s. Similarly, the war in the Mekong Delta was vastly different from those who were engaged in the northern highlands. Therefore, any attempt to generalize is fraught with problems of recognition, even to average returning troops. Still, periodic grief and self-reflection are common factors, experienced by all returning from that, and every other war.

Interestingly, there are a number of subplots that are subtly intertwined to help elucidate the main message of the vicissitudes of a combat veteran attempting to normalize his life after initially experiencing the disenfranchisement uniquely associated with the Vietnam War. Now Elliot lives under daily pressure to support his cancer-surviving wife, Linda, aptly played by Cady McCain, and make ends meet. Concurrently he realizes the need to rectify his somewhat strained relationship with his father. Even after his father’s death, which is depicted in a touching, transformational moment, the quest for resolution continues. Through his exploration, he comes to understand some of the idiosyncratic behaviors he saw in his father. The film also touches on other penetrating issues such as survivor’s guilt, common among soldiers who lost buddies in close proximity, and through those deaths, and of close relatives, the notion of one’s own mortality.

It is refreshing to see a movie that realistically depicts more mild forms of PTSD in which the participants are reasonably functional. Wisely, the director, Brian Delate, included Richie, played by him, as a Vietnam vet who, after a couple of brief stumbles, successfully transitioned from a combat soldier to a respected local businessman. Frankly, Hollywood has made too many movies depicting returning war veterans as totally dysfunctional, drug impaired, or suffering from massive antisocial behavioral problems. SOLDIER’S HEARTpresents a far more balanced understanding of soldiers who have problems to work out because of the stresses they encountered, yet not acting out in such a manner that they frequently come in contact with law enforcement.

SOLDIER’S HEART is a journey into awareness. But combat stress, by any name, never completely goes away. It may wax and wane in a soldier’s consciousness, but at some level it is always lurking in the hidden recesses of the mind, waiting to haunt your dreams at even the most unsuspecting moment. It never goes away.

The reviewer is a retired US Army colonel who served in Vietnam.

SUNSHINE STATE is a mosaic of intergenerational family issues painted on the canvass of a rural community conflicted by encroaching modernity. Set in Northern Florida, the complex story-line depicted the inevitable clash of cultures created by increased population density with a high demand for creature comforts intertwined with small town America in which everyone knows everyone else’s secrets.

This opening film of the CineVegas International film Festival was well received by the core group of assembled critics and patrons of the arts. Now in its 4th year, but totally revamped, this film festival has quickly evolved to a first class event capable of an international draw. Headed by Mark Tratos (Quirk & Tratos) and Danny Greenspun (Greenspun Media Group), many influential local dignitaries stepped forward to support this worthy activity that was developed under the capable guidance of L. Mimosa Jones. The significant upgrade was enabled when CineVegas wisely brought in Trevor Groth, who has extensive experience in coordinating Robert Redford’s world renowned Sundance Film Festival.

In SUNSHINE STATE outside developers with nefarious schemes for acquiring the land from long-time local residents are the villains. They connive, cajole, and bribe officials while dutifully explaining how their ultimate goal is to preserve and even enhance the natural beauty of the area. However, underlying the rough exterior overt manipulators are the worker bees. They are alternately portrayed as insensitive louts who are just following orders, and caring individuals who do the best they can and make a compromise between the values of the old and demands of the new.

As is the case in this transitional area, racial issues are apparent. The mixed social demographics and values are closer to those of southern Georgia than the cosmopolitan cities that comprise the better known aspects of Florida. Strong female leads, both black and white, have been carefully chosen to elucidate the problems associated with family complex ties. Angela Bassett plays a woman returning home after years of exile to confront her mother. The daughter of a leader in the black community, at fifteen and pregnant she was sent away to prevent family shame. Now married to an anesthesiologist from Boston, she finally rejoins her mother who is living under circumstances of greatly reduced wealth, but not of dignity. While there she encounters The Florida Flash, the local football hero who but for a serious knee injury might have made the pros. It was Flash who unknowingly impregnated her in one of his many brief flings. Now he is serving as front man attempting to surreptitiously acquire property for a mostly white owned development conglomerate.

Edie Falco of THE SOPRANOS plays a single woman desperately looking for a stable relationship while held in near indentured servitude to her father who built and ran the local motel and restaurant. She does neither well and wants to accept the offers to buy their property but feels she needs her father’s blessing.

Attending the CineVegas screening was Bill Cobbs who plays an aging doctor who has served as a patriarch to the black community. Although he is one of the commuting residents he has a vestige interest in the welfare of the people and is sufficiently politically astute to make an impact.

SUNSHINE STATE is an intricate weave of people exploring daily life, coping with realities, and trying to do better. Their chances for success are about like all of ours. Some will make it, some won’t. However, it is a sure thing that CineVegas will.