Day Zero
Encyclopedia
Day Zero is a 2007
American
film directed by Bryan Gunnar Cole and written by Robert Malkani. Set in the near future when global terrorism
has forced the military
to reinstate the draft
, three young men, who have just received their induction notices and have 30 days to report for duty, must battle their political views before making a decision that will change their lives forever.
This is American
director Cole's debut film. It premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival
and opened in limited release
in the United States on January 18, 2008.
The film stars Elijah Wood
, Chris Klein
and Jon Bernthal
. It also features Ginnifer Goodwin, Sofia Vassilieva
, Elisabeth Moss
and Ally Sheedy
.
), George (Chris Klein
), and Dixon (Jon Bernthal
) as each prepares to report for duty and learns, individually, what it means to "serve with honor."
The three friends have been given induction notices and have 30 days to report for duty. Feeling unprepared but convinced that he must serve, novelist Aaron embarks on a quest to prepare for the life of a soldier — enlisting the help of a collapsing Bowflex machine and a disengaged therapist (Ally Sheedy
).
Corporate attorney George wishes to stay with his wife (Ginnifer Goodwin), a recent cancer survivor, rather than fight in a war that he believes is wrong. He spends much of his 30 days researching ways he can dodge the draft
, but avoiding service does not prove easy.
Cab driver Dixon is the most fearless and free of doubt, but he falls in love with a sociology student (Elisabeth Moss
), and suddenly issues that always seemed black-and-white to him are not so simple.
As reporting day, or day zero, draws nearer, the three friends fight, fall out, come together and comfort each other as each in his own way discovers what it means to "serve with honor."
's Lower East Side.
reported that 21% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 13 reviews. Metacritic
reported the film had an average score of 41 out of 100, based on 5 reviews.
2007 in film
This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film directed by Bryan Gunnar Cole and written by Robert Malkani. Set in the near future when global terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
has forced the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
to reinstate the draft
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
, three young men, who have just received their induction notices and have 30 days to report for duty, must battle their political views before making a decision that will change their lives forever.
This is American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
director Cole's debut film. It premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
and opened in limited release
Limited release
Limited release is a term in the American motion picture industry for a motion picture that is playing in a select few theaters across the country ....
in the United States on January 18, 2008.
The film stars Elijah Wood
Elijah Wood
Elijah Jordan Wood is an American actor. He made his film debut with a minor part in Back to the Future Part II , then landed a succession of larger roles that made him a critically acclaimed child actor by age 9. He is best known for his high-profile role as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's...
, Chris Klein
Chris Klein (actor)
Frederick Christopher "Chris" Klein is an American movie actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Chris "Oz" Ostreicher in the 1999 film American Pie and its sequel American Pie 2.-Early life:...
and Jon Bernthal
Jon Bernthal
Jonathan E. "Jon" Bernthal is an American actor, best known for his role on the AMC television series The Walking Dead.-Early life:...
. It also features Ginnifer Goodwin, Sofia Vassilieva
Sofia Vassilieva
Sofia Vladimirovna Vassilieva is an American actress. She is best known for playing the children's book heroine Eloise, in two made-for-television movies, Ariel Dubois in the Emmy-winning TV series Medium, and the cancer patient Kate Fitzgerald in the 2009 film adaption of My Sister's Keeper by...
, Elisabeth Moss
Elisabeth Moss
Elisabeth Singleton Moss is an American actor. Her notable roles include that of Zoey Bartlet, the third and youngest daughter of President Jed Bartlet, on the NBC television series The West Wing , and secretary turned copywriter Peggy Olson on the AMC original series Mad Men .-Early life and...
and Ally Sheedy
Ally Sheedy
Alexandra Elizabeth "Ally" Sheedy is an American film and stage actress, as well as the author of two books. She is best known for her roles in the Brat Pack films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire.-Early life:...
.
Plot synopsis
It's the future in America — the military draft has been reinstated to fight the war on terror. The country's conflicting attitudes toward war are examined through the eyes of Aaron (Elijah WoodElijah Wood
Elijah Jordan Wood is an American actor. He made his film debut with a minor part in Back to the Future Part II , then landed a succession of larger roles that made him a critically acclaimed child actor by age 9. He is best known for his high-profile role as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's...
), George (Chris Klein
Chris Klein (actor)
Frederick Christopher "Chris" Klein is an American movie actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Chris "Oz" Ostreicher in the 1999 film American Pie and its sequel American Pie 2.-Early life:...
), and Dixon (Jon Bernthal
Jon Bernthal
Jonathan E. "Jon" Bernthal is an American actor, best known for his role on the AMC television series The Walking Dead.-Early life:...
) as each prepares to report for duty and learns, individually, what it means to "serve with honor."
The three friends have been given induction notices and have 30 days to report for duty. Feeling unprepared but convinced that he must serve, novelist Aaron embarks on a quest to prepare for the life of a soldier — enlisting the help of a collapsing Bowflex machine and a disengaged therapist (Ally Sheedy
Ally Sheedy
Alexandra Elizabeth "Ally" Sheedy is an American film and stage actress, as well as the author of two books. She is best known for her roles in the Brat Pack films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire.-Early life:...
).
Corporate attorney George wishes to stay with his wife (Ginnifer Goodwin), a recent cancer survivor, rather than fight in a war that he believes is wrong. He spends much of his 30 days researching ways he can dodge the draft
Draft dodger
Draft evasion is a term that refers to an intentional failure to comply with the military conscription policies of the nation to which he or she is subject...
, but avoiding service does not prove easy.
Cab driver Dixon is the most fearless and free of doubt, but he falls in love with a sociology student (Elisabeth Moss
Elisabeth Moss
Elisabeth Singleton Moss is an American actor. Her notable roles include that of Zoey Bartlet, the third and youngest daughter of President Jed Bartlet, on the NBC television series The West Wing , and secretary turned copywriter Peggy Olson on the AMC original series Mad Men .-Early life and...
), and suddenly issues that always seemed black-and-white to him are not so simple.
As reporting day, or day zero, draws nearer, the three friends fight, fall out, come together and comfort each other as each in his own way discovers what it means to "serve with honor."
Cast
- Elijah WoodElijah WoodElijah Jordan Wood is an American actor. He made his film debut with a minor part in Back to the Future Part II , then landed a succession of larger roles that made him a critically acclaimed child actor by age 9. He is best known for his high-profile role as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's...
- Aaron Feller - Chris KleinChris Klein (actor)Frederick Christopher "Chris" Klein is an American movie actor. He is perhaps best known for playing Chris "Oz" Ostreicher in the 1999 film American Pie and its sequel American Pie 2.-Early life:...
- George Rifkin - Jon BernthalJon BernthalJonathan E. "Jon" Bernthal is an American actor, best known for his role on the AMC television series The Walking Dead.-Early life:...
- Dixon - Ginnifer Goodwin - Molly Rifkin
- Ally SheedyAlly SheedyAlexandra Elizabeth "Ally" Sheedy is an American film and stage actress, as well as the author of two books. She is best known for her roles in the Brat Pack films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire.-Early life:...
- Dr. Reynolds - Elisabeth MossElisabeth MossElisabeth Singleton Moss is an American actor. Her notable roles include that of Zoey Bartlet, the third and youngest daughter of President Jed Bartlet, on the NBC television series The West Wing , and secretary turned copywriter Peggy Olson on the AMC original series Mad Men .-Early life and...
- Patricia - Sofia VassilievaSofia VassilievaSofia Vladimirovna Vassilieva is an American actress. She is best known for playing the children's book heroine Eloise, in two made-for-television movies, Ariel Dubois in the Emmy-winning TV series Medium, and the cancer patient Kate Fitzgerald in the 2009 film adaption of My Sister's Keeper by...
- Mara - Zoe Lister-JonesZoe Lister-JonesZoe Lister-Jones is an American, actress, singer, playwright, and screenwriter. She is currently appearing on Adult Swim's television program Delocated as Kim and on NBC's Whitney as Lily.-Life and career:...
- Jessica Hendricks
Filming locations
The movie was shot in 25 days in high definition around New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Lower East Side.
Critical reception
The film received negative to mixed reviews from critics. As of January 19, 2007, the review aggregator Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reported that 21% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 13 reviews. Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
reported the film had an average score of 41 out of 100, based on 5 reviews.