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Megan Leavey

Play trailer 2:20 Poster for Megan Leavey PG-13 Released Jun 9, 2017 1h 56m War Biography Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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86% Tomatometer 104 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
The true life story of Megan Leavey, a young Marine corporal whose unique discipline and bond with a military combat dog saved many lives during her deployment in Iraq. Assigned to clean up the K-9 unit after a disciplinary hearing, Leavey starts to identify with Rex, a particularly aggressive dog that she trains. Over the course of their service, Megan and Rex complete more than 100 missions until an improvised explosive device injures both, putting their fates in jeopardy.
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Megan Leavey

Megan Leavey

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Critics Consensus

Megan Leavey honors its real-life subjects with a sensitive, uplifting drama whose honest emotion more than makes up for its mild approach to the story.

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Critics Reviews

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Stephanie Abraham Bitch Media The film's gendered Orientalist narrative uses Iraq, its people and the US-led war there as the backdrop for a story about a white woman soldier finding herself and learning to love through her combat canine. Feb 18, 2021 Full Review Chris Stuckmann ChrisStuckmann.com A heartfelt and touching film featuring one of Kate Mara's best performances. Rated: B+ Jul 7, 2017 Full Review Peter Travers Rolling Stone Kate Mara is raw and riveting in the title role, a marine who ends up in combat in Iraq with a bomb-sniffing German shepherd. It's a true story that earns your tears. Rated: 3/4 Jun 19, 2017 Full Review Michael Clark Epoch Times The film teaches, educates, enlightens, and entertains, and does so in a straightforward manner while imparting lessons on personal responsibility and sacrifice. Work hard, stay focused, believe in a noble cause and it's likely you will succeed. Rated: 4.5 Apr 15, 2022 Full Review Jeff Mitchell Art House Film Wire Mara splits her time between nail-biting sequences and Megan's emotional growth through her relationship with Rex, a four-legged soldier. An inspiring movie based on two real-life U.S. Marines. Bring tissues. Rated: 3/4 Feb 19, 2022 Full Review Hosea Rupprecht Pauline Media Studies What I appreciated about Megan's story was how loving Rex enabled her to get through her suffering. Aug 25, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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SkyRo P Released in 2017, "Megan Leavey" tells the inspiring true story of a determined and resilient military woman as she dedicates herself to serving and protecting her country. Her commitment is evident from the moment she enlists in the armed forces. This film is a remarkable piece of storytelling, skillfully directed with a focus on Megan's journey without overwhelming the audience with excessive dialogue or unnecessary subplots. Gabriella Cowperthwaite’s direction allows the narrative to shine through, keeping the audience engaged with its authenticity. Kate Mara, an actress who often flies under the radar, delivers a standout performance in this film. While she may not always be front of mind, her portrayal in "Megan Leavey" is powerful and memorable. Her earlier work in the "Fantastic Four" may have clouded her talent in the eyes of some, but in this role, she truly shines. Mara draws the audience in, making them feel every emotion throughout her character's journey. The initial choice of her for the lead may have seemed unconventional, yet it ultimately proves to be a brilliant decision, showcasing her skills as an exceptional actress. The screenplay deserves recognition as well, as it complements the director's vision. It avoids the pitfalls of overcomplicated dialogue and extraneous storylines, concentrating instead on the core narrative of Megan’s experiences as a soldier. This focus makes "Megan Leavey" a film worth watching repeatedly, each viewing revealing more depth to the story. I wholeheartedly recommend this powerful film, which captures the essence of courage and loyalty beautifully. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/15/25 Full Review KC Great movie and true at that. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/10/24 Full Review Stephen H Very entertaining. Good story. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/25/24 Full Review Mike M not a complicated movie, but definitely pulls some heart strings, especially if you're a dog lover Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/04/24 Full Review Michael A Brilliant, touching tribute to the Marines K9 unit. Kate Mara plays Megan in this touching movie. She nailed it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/29/24 Full Review Jonathan K On my first watch of the movie, I think the story is kind of cliche to other dog/military movies. The story pacing went too fast like it had 1.5× story speed. Arguably, the worst thing in the movie is the cinematography. Throughout the entire movie, there was a constant camera shake with every single shot and movement. I don't think the camera shake had a purpose. It's like they used a handhold camera in the entire movie. Have they not heard about a tripod? Also. I realized Draco Malfoy was in the movie as the Sergeant. I didn't particularly care about any of the character due to a lack of a consistent or in fact any character development. The acting is subpar, and the dialogue is flatter than a flat earther's view on the earth. That is my honest review. The only good quality of the movie is that it has the ability to pull on a person's heartstrings and has a touching story. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 04/30/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Megan Leavey

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis The true life story of Megan Leavey, a young Marine corporal whose unique discipline and bond with a military combat dog saved many lives during her deployment in Iraq. Assigned to clean up the K-9 unit after a disciplinary hearing, Leavey starts to identify with Rex, a particularly aggressive dog that she trains. Over the course of their service, Megan and Rex complete more than 100 missions until an improvised explosive device injures both, putting their fates in jeopardy.
Director
Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Producer
Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon, Jennifer Monroe
Screenwriter
Pamela Gray, Annie Mumolo, Tim Lovestedt
Distributor
Bleecker Street Media
Production Co
Liddell Entertainment, Calle Cruzada, LD Entertainment
Rating
PG-13 (Suggestive Material|Language|Thematic Elements|War Violence)
Genre
War, Biography, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 9, 2017, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 10, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$13.4M
Runtime
1h 56m
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