Stars: Scott Glenn, Ed Harris, Elizabeth McGovern, Dean Stockwell, Joaquin Phoenix, Anna Paquin, Leon, Gabriel Mann

Director: Gregor Jordan

Summary: A group of soldiers on the make whilst stationed in Germany before the fall of the Wall.

Joaquin Phoenix stars in this dark service comedy as Ray Elwood, an Army clerk stationed in West Germany just before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Part of a company made up almost entirely of ex-convicts and school dropouts, Elwood takes advantage of his daft commanding officer, Col. Berman (Harris), by selling heroin and stolen Army supplies wholesale. However, when a member of the company dies and an autopsy reveals a remarkable amount of drugs in his bloodstream, far more intense scrutiny is brought down on the base in the form of Sgt. Lee (Glenn), a tough and savvy Vietnam veteran who immediately surmises that Elwood is the brains behind the base's black market operations. Unfortunately, Elwood has just happened upon the biggest score of his tour and now must unload two trucks full of arms and 30 kilos of heroin just as Sgt. Lee has begun to orchestrate his downfall.
Based on Robert O'Connor's novel, BUFFALO SOLDIERS is cynical but not irreverent; it doesn't treat its characters irresponsible and often idiotic behaviour lightly nor does it judge them. Director Gregor Jordan has done an excellent job of adapting the tone of the original novel to the screen, and, aided by excellent performances from Messrs. Phoenix and Glenn, makes BUFFALO SOLDIERS a thoroughly enjoyable satire.

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An Army-base comedy about soldiers "with nothing to kill except time", Buffalo Soldiersinvites casual comparison to Catch-22and M*A*S*H. It's 1989: the Berlin Wall is falling, completing the Cold War's thaw and Ray Elwood (Joaquin Phoenix)--a clerk with the 317th Supply Battalion, stationed in west Germany--combats boredom with a variety of black-market schemes, from cooking heroin for the base's corrupt MPs to dealing stolen arms to the highest bidder, in addition to having a shallow affair with the two-timing wife (Elizabeth McGovern) of his outgoing commander (Ed Harris). Elwood's new CO (Scott Glenn) clamps down on his illegal activities while protecting his daughter (Anna Paquin) from Elwood's advances.

Fine casting and positive buzz couldn't prevent this movie's ironic fate: acquired by Miramax one day before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Buffalo Soldierswas shelved for nearly two years, by which time this dark and defiantly amusing exercise in political incorrectness--based on the novel by Robert O'Connor--had been overshadowed by world events. --Jeff Shannon

Aspect Ratio:	2.35 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Sundance Channels Anatomy Of A Scene, Directors Commentary, Interviews, Behind The Scenes, Interview With Gregor Jordan, Trailer
Year:	2001
Release Date:	February 7, 2005
Runtime:	96 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	C C D 30133
Keywords:	Buffalo, General, Wide, Screen, Soldiers, Drama
Genre:	Drama