Megan Leavey

Megan Leavey tells the true story of a combat Marine and the bomb-sniffing German Shepherd who becomes her constant companion. Growing up in suburban New York, Megan Leavey (Kate Mara) doesn't connect well with people, nor does Rex, the large, aggressive, allegedly uncontrollable military working dog she's paired with during Marine K-9 training at Camp Pendleton. The pair soon become inseparable and are deployed to Iraq. After more than 100 missions (2003-06), Megan is wounded by an IED (improvised explosive device) and sent home, leaving Rex behind with a series of different handlers. Suffering from PTSD, stoic Megan descends into a deep depression, much to the annoyance of her ne'er-do-well, divorced mother Jackie (Edie Falco). And it isn't until her empathetic father Bob (Bradley Whitford) questions what would make Megan's life worth living, that she realizes that the answer is Rex. So Megan launches her own four-year quest to adopt Rex when he's injured and retired after his military service, battling a stubborn veterinarian who deems Rex “too ferocious.” Deftly directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, the film features nuanced performances from Mara, as well as Common as Megan's no-nonsense sergeant, and Ramón Rodriguez as her romantic interest. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “Never Give Up” behind-the-scenes featurette (3 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a small extras package for a solid true-life drama.] (S. Granger)