Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- bittersweet
- witty
- mournful
- reflective evening
- adult movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the impeccably cast trio and the film's balance of raw grief with refreshing humor, while finding some writing contrived and sentimental.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Doc, Sal, and Mueller transport Charlie's casket along the East Coast while confronting shared military history and personal loss.
Doc rejects a conventional Arlington burial and the journey questions official military honor alongside intimate grief.
The reunion of former Vietnam-era servicemen becomes the emotional center of their mission for Doc's dead son.
Sal's irreverence and the trio's banter repeatedly interrupt and deepen the sorrow surrounding the funeral journey.
Films like Last Flag Flying, and why
The Last Detail
shared bittersweet road movie structure, male friendship, grief, and understated humor
The Deer Hunter
shared Vietnam veteran perspective, disillusionment, male camaraderie, and reflective drama
Nebraska
shared adult male friendship, road travel, emotional restraint, and comic drama
The Messenger
shared ensemble journey, military trauma, grief, and balancing raw drama with humor
Movie Details
- Director
- Richard Linklater
- Release Date
- 2017-11-03
- Runtime
- 125 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (508)
Cast
- Steve Carell
- Bryan Cranston
- Laurence Fishburne
- Yul Vazquez
- J. Quinton Johnson
- Deanna Reed-Foster
- Cicely Tyson
- Graham Wolfe
- Jeff Monahan
- Richard Robichaux
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Last Flag Flying about?
- Three former servicemen turn a military funeral journey into a funny, painful reckoning with patriotism, grief, and the bonds forged by war.
- What is Last Flag Flying like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Last Flag Flying as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Last Flag Flying violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Last Flag Flying as mild.
- What did critics think of Last Flag Flying?
- Critics broadly praised the impeccably cast trio and the film's balance of raw grief with refreshing humor, while finding some writing contrived and sentimental.
- Which films are like Last Flag Flying?
- Films with a similar feel include The Last Detail, The Deer Hunter, Nebraska, and The Messenger.
- How long is Last Flag Flying?
- Last Flag Flying runs 125 minutes.
- Where can I watch Last Flag Flying?
- In United States, Last Flag Flying streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
