Poster Girl

When 19-year-old former high school cheerleader Robynn Murray joined the U.S. Army in 2003, they told her she'd be doing “civil affairs” work: next thing she knew, Murray was in Iraq manning a machine gun in a tank squad, and later felt exploited when she found herself gracing the cover of ARMY magazine as a literal poster girl for women in combat. Nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject, Poster Girl takes a brief but powerful look at Murray's tormented post-Iraq War life and her brave battle with not only Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but also the Veterans Affairs office itself, which ends up owing her $27,000 in back payments for disability. Sara Nesson's HBO-aired documentary illustrates how Murray—initially hopeless and unable to shake off her horrific experiences in Iraq—engages in collective therapeutic art and poetry with other young veterans and is able to regain a sense of purpose and pride in her post-military life. Nesson maintains a detached presence throughout, letting Murray tell her own harrowing story, including the horrible inhumanities she witnessed but just wasn't ready to face. By the end of Poster Girl, it's still uncertain what direction Murray's life will take, but the positive onscreen transformation we witness over the course of the film is nothing short of astonishing and inspiring. DVD extras include Nesson's companion documentary Iraq Paper Scissors on PTSD, deleted scenes, facts on PTSD, and resources for veterans. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (M. Sandlin)