Journey Home

Directed by Christopher Houlston

2021

Faithful City Productions

They can train you for the army, but when you leave they don’t train you to be a civilian. This is a sentiment expressed in new Worcestershire-made drama Journey Home which explores the difficulties of adjusting back to life after being deployed at war.

A husband awakes from a restless sleep at dawn (Mike Bodie as “The Soldier) and appears distant from his partner (Jennifer Martin as Hannah) as the day begins at home. From sneaking out of the bed without a word to blank engagement for their anniversary, we are shown that all is not well with this couple’s homelife.

Hannah’s attempt to involve her husband in conversation lead to dead ends and despite him making her breakfast, his efforts seem lacklustre at best.

He is reminded that he’s yet to go to church since he’s returned but he encourages her to go alone to have the house to himself. An anniversary surprise in the making?

In fact, yes. He prepares cards, balloons and presents but an horrific hallucination and cacophony of war noise jolts him out of his domestic routine.

Mike Bodie does well with minimal dialogue as an ex-soldier seemingly struggling with PTSD. As Mike hides his condition, Hannah is unaware of the personal trouble he’s trying to deal with.

Jennifer Martin is given the bulk of the dialogue and does well with the emotional turmoil of her character whilst a mournful soundtrack bumps up the feelings of melancholy.

Mike continues to have visual flashbacks, but even his wedding day is tinged with his army life. He wears a military uniform to the ceremony suggesting a sort of inescapable link to his career despite the happiness of such a magical day.

The relationship is the core of the drama and the film does well as it balances hope and hate in a sensitive way. It culminates in a head-to-head where Mike’s personal armour is broken down in a honest confession of what horrors he's witnessed in battle.

The wide-screen cinematography is also well handled and shot, with the dreamy flashbacks softly-focused and reflecting a happier period for both of them.

The film does well to look at the mental destruction of those returning home after periods of war. It could be argued the themes are a bit on the nose here, but the two strong performances, assured direction and the heartfelt subject matter pull the film through.

Journey Home’s almost too-earnest delivery is however tenderly handled and clearly comes from a person who cares about the issues portrayed and that’s no bad thing at all.

Troops can be withdrawn from war but they sometimes can withdraw from society on their return, and Journey Home ends up admirably encapsulating the difficulties of that adjustment in a candid and considerate short. 

Michael Sales