Jarhead Kid

[Gustavo Perez]

I can’t remember where I heard this, but I heard somewhere that Jarhead was your favorite film you shot. I saw the movie in 08 when I was seven (purchased with a legal form of I.D.), and it became one of the rotations of films I would watch* on weekly road trips my family would take for one reason or another. As a young little shit as the electrics like to call me these days, I loved the film because of its portrayal of a scout snipers experience, not one of the impossible shots and high-octane action, but a different side to the conflict than what I saw on the news.

I wish I had some insightful reflection or questions about the film, but it’s probably been eight or nine years since I saw it. So, in the place of a banger of a question, we both have some great taste in movies 😉 . I love that from what I remember about the film; there was this deep connection I felt to the struggle of a young man finding his way in life, seeking this divine purpose, this thing you were so good at; it was as if God himself MADE you for that purpose. Obviously, at the time, I saw none of that. These are things I think about these days, but I also thank the film for putting me on to Jake Gyllenhaal. His film Stronger came to me when I was sixteen. I’m not one for public displays of emotion (contrary to how I may present myself with words and some layers of anonymity). Still, I found myself crying as I saw someone on screen who once again put out into the world the internal struggle that I had no facilities to process but allowed me to seek treatment for PTSD.

I’m not quite sure what I hope for you to gain by reading this, but… thanks for riding in a muddy rickshaw so some kid could begin to ask himself the bigger questions in life.

P.S. I’m still working through that list of movies you gave me to watch, but I did end up watching Come and See. Kinda sad that the director never made another movie.

*Saving Private Ryan, Forest Gump, and Jarhead

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